Lassa fever remains one of the most significant and persistent public health threats in West Africa. Endemic in several countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, the disease continues to place a heavy burden on health systems, communities and frontline health workers, while posing an ongoing risk of cross-border transmission and regional outbreaks. Despite important advances in surveillance, case management and preparedness, major gaps remain in coordination, diagnostics, clinical care, vaccines readiness, research and sustainable financing for Lassa fever prevention and control.
The ECOWAS Lassa Fever International Conference was convened to provide a high-level, multidisciplinary platform for countries, regional institutions, technical partners, researchers and implementers to share experiences, present new evidence and collectively strengthen regional collaboration for Lassa fever preparedness, prevention and response. The conference brought together representatives from national ministries of health, public health institutes, media, academia, civil society, development partners and global health organisations, reflecting the strong commitment of ECOWAS and its partners to address Lassa fever through coordinated regional action.
This special issue presents selected peer-reviewed papers and technical contributions from the conference, capturing the most relevant lessons, innovations and policy-relevant evidence emerging from country and regional experiences. The articles cover key thematic areas including regional and national preparedness and response systems, surveillance and data use, laboratory and diagnostic capacity, clinical management, Vaccines Readiness, infection prevention and control, community engagement, operational research, and the evolving role of regional coordination mechanisms in supporting countries.
A central focus of this supplement is the growing recognition that effective Lassa fever control requires more than isolated national interventions. The papers highlight the importance of cross-border collaboration, harmonised preparedness frameworks, shared learning platforms and sustained political commitment across ECOWAS Member States. They also showcase practical approaches to strengthening national task forces, improving multi-sectoral coordination and aligning partner support around country-led priorities.
By documenting experiences from across West Africa, this special issue aims to contribute to the evidence base for regional health security and to inform policy makers, programme managers, researchers, partners and other stakeholders engaged in epidemic preparedness and response. The collection reflects the collective ambition of ECOWAS and its partners to move from fragmented responses towards a more integrated, resilient, and sustainable regional system for Lassa fever prevention and control.
This supplement therefore serves both as a record of the ECOWAS Lassa Fever International Conference and as a resource to support future investments, partnerships, and policy decisions aimed at reducing the burden of Lassa fever and strengthening health systems and health security across the region.
The West African Health Organisation sincerely thanks all partners, authors, reviewers, and editors whose dedication and expertise greatly contributed to the success of this supplement. Their collective efforts ensured the scientific quality, relevance, and impact of this work. We extend our special appreciation to Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), World Health Organization (WHO), KfW Development Bank, World Bank, and African Field Epidemiology Network for their invaluable support throughout this process.
Guest editors:
- Prof Issiaka Sombie, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Nazi Boni University, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Mr Cesaire Damien Ahanhanzo MPA, MSc, Senior Health Specialist, Abomey-Calavi, Benin
- Dr Dougbeh Chris Nyan, MD, Director-General, National Public Health Institute, Monrovia, Liberia
- Katrin Ramsauer, PhD – Lassa Fever Programme Lead, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Oslo, Norway
- Prof Serge Blaise K Emaleu, MD, PhD, Emergency Preparedness, Readiness and Response (EPRR), Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance (EDS), The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Libreville, Gabon
- Oyeronke Oyebanji, MSc, Country & Regional Engagement Lead (Lassa vaccine programme), London, United Kingdom
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Director, Health Care Services Department
West African Health Organization (WAHO)
Supplement booklet (PDF) not available
