Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC202517 (Poster 022) | Published: 30 Jul 2025
Aishat Bukola Usman1,&, Virgil Kouassi Lokossou1, Issiaka Sombie1, Oyeronke Oyebanji2, Melchior Athanase Aïssi1
1West African Health Organization, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, 2Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Oslo, Norway
&Corresponding author: Aishat Bukola Usman, West African Health Organization, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, Email: ausman@prj.wahooas.org
Received: 11 Apr 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 30 Jul 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa Fever, WAHO, Regional Health Security, Surveillance, Vaccine Development
©Aishat Bukola Usman et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Aishat Bukola Usman et al., WAHO’s collaborative initiatives for Lassa fever prevention and control in the ECOWAS Region. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00166. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00166
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic illness endemic in parts of West Africa, with an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 infections annually, with 5,000 deaths, causing significant morbidity and mortality. The West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), as the specialized health institution of ECOWAS, plays a crucial role in coordinating regional efforts to strengthen health systems, enhance disease surveillance, and improve response capacities to Lassa fever outbreaks. Recognizing the need for a collaborative approach, WAHO established key initiatives to control the spread of the disease and mitigate its impact.
WAHO has implemented multiple interventions, including the establishment of the Lassa Fever Coalition Governing Entity (LGE) to steer regional prevention and control strategies. The organization conducts regular cross-border collaborations, capacity-building programs, and knowledge-sharing webinars. Training workshops have been organized on clinical case management and infection prevention and control (IPC) for healthcare workers. Additionally, WAHO collaborates with CEPI and other partners to accelerate Lassa fever vaccine development and clinical trials.
These initiatives have enhanced regional coordination, with increased participation in webinars, training programs, and the dissemination of knowledge through the Lassa Bulletin. More than 100 health professionals attended the most recent webinar focused on strengthening community-based research. Training-of-trainers sessions have equipped twenty-five healthcare workers with essential skills in clinical management and laboratory diagnosis of Lassa fever. Simulation exercises have bolstered outbreak preparedness and response mechanisms, while data collection efforts have improved disease surveillance.
WAHO’s Lassa fever initiatives have significantly contributed to strengthening regional preparedness and response. Continued investment in research, training, and surveillance is essential for the sustained control of Lassa fever. Moving forward, WAHO is committed to sustaining collaborative efforts and scaling up vaccine research to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks.
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