Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC202524 (Oral 015) | Published: 11 Aug 2025
Asma Binte Aziz1,&
1International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea
&Corresponding author: Asma Binte Aziz, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea, Email: asma.azi@ivi.int
Received: 31 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 11 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa fever, Impact, Collaborative workshop, Research
©Asma Binte Aziz 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: Asma Binte Aziz et al., From strategy to impact: Insights from the ARC-WA program on advancing regional Health emergency evidence preparedness in Lassa-endemic settings. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc):00015. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00015
Recurrent Lassa fever outbreaks and other health emergencies continue to expose critical gaps in emergency response and evidence generation in West Africa. These challenges are particularly acute in Lassa-endemic countries, where fragile health systems, limited surge capacity, and under-resourced research infrastructure hinder timely decision-making. In response, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched the Advancing Research Capacity in West Africa (ARC- WA) program, with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia (MRCG) as joint Technical Coordinating Partners (TCP).
ARC-WA aims to strengthen regional readiness for health emergencies, with a strong focus on Lassa-endemic contexts. Using a participatory, stepwise approach grounded in qualitative research, the program began with a stakeholder mapping and landscape assessment based on desk reviews and key informant interviews. This was followed by a consultative workshop in Dakar, Senegal (June 2024; 54 participants) to validate findings and refine engagement strategies. A second workshop in Accra, Ghana (late 2024; 120 participants) facilitated co-development of a regional vision and stakeholder plan.
This process revealed six critical gaps: limited prioritization of national research preparedness agendas; weak coordination mechanisms; inadequate clinical research infrastructure; fragile regulatory and ethics systems; insufficient collaboration within and across borders; and chronic underfunding. Stakeholders identified practical strategies to address these challenges and accelerate progress toward a more cohesive, regionally owned emergency research agenda. By centering the needs of Lassa-endemic countries, ARC-WA sets a foundation for sustainable, locally led evidence generation.
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