More than 800 health experts, policymakers, and technical partners from Africa, Europe, and the Americas were in Abidjan for the second ECOWAS International Conference on Lassa fever.

Melchior Aïssi, the director-general of the West African Health Organisation, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the event on Thursday in Côte d’Ivoire.

Mr Aissi called for stronger regional collaboration, enhanced research, and improved preparedness to combat the deadly disease.

The four-day event brought together participants from 32 countries, featuring over 140 oral presentations, 162 posters, 20 parallel sessions, and 28 plenary sessions.

Mr Aïssi said that Lassa fever was a transboundary challenge that requires collective action, adding that “no country can tackle this alone.

“Our shared intelligence, resources, and regional cooperation are essential to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks,” he said.

Representing the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Katrin Ramsauer, head of the Lassa Fever Disease Programme, highlighted the importance of vaccine research and development.

“CEPI currently supports three vaccine candidates, with clinical trials underway in Nigeria, Liberia, and Ghana. Developing vaccines is both a scientific and moral imperative. Together, we can protect the populations most at risk,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the World Health Organisation, Thinero Baldé, WHO representative in Senegal, praised the conference for fostering collaboration across governments, scientists, and communities.

“Complex challenges demand complex solutions. The networks and relationships formed here in Abidjan are essential to strengthen surveillance, laboratory systems, and emergency response across West Africa,” he said.

Key recommendations from the conference included strengthening regional coordination and expanding national surveillance and laboratory capacities. The conference also recommended the scaling up of scientific research, improving community engagement, and enhancing preparedness for health emergencies.

Participants underscored the need for political commitment to prioritise Lassa fever on national health agendas.

The conference was organised by WAHO in collaboration with CEPI, WHO, and the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Health.

It served as an affirmation of West Africa’s collective determination to confront Lassa fever and other emerging infectious diseases in the region.

(NAN)