West Africa Launches Regional Push Against Lassa Fever at Abidjan Conference

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has opened the second Lassa Fever International Conference in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The four-day event, organized by the West African Health Organisation, is themed “Beyond Borders: Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Combat Lassa Fever and Emerging Infectious Diseases.”

Building on the inaugural conference held in Abuja in 2019, this edition features plenary sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and research presentations. It aims to produce a regional roadmap for improved access to diagnostics, vaccines, and coordinated disease control efforts.

LIC 2025 seeks to foster multi-sectoral collaboration while promoting sustainable solutions for tackling Lassa fever and broader health security threats. The gathering brings together regional and global experts to advance research, enhance preparedness, and strengthen outbreak response mechanisms across West Africa.

The 2019 Abuja conference, which marked 50 years since the Lassa virus was first identified in Nigeria, emphasized the need to integrate human, animal, and environmental health in combating the disease. Participants called for stronger surveillance systems, better diagnostics, and investment in vaccines and therapeutics to improve prevention, response, and control of Lassa fever outbreaks.