Lassa fever continues to pose a serious public health challenge in West Africa, causing thousands of deaths annually and exerting significant pressure on fragile health systems. The disease also results in substantial socio-economic losses in affected countries. Although several promising vaccine candidates are progressing through development, stakeholders say scientific progress alone will not guarantee a meaningful public health impact unless preparations for vaccine deployment begin early.
The roadmap reflects lessons learned from previous epidemics and prioritises early planning, uninterrupted vaccine supply, and equitable access. It aims to ensure that countries are ready well before vaccine licensure, avoiding delays that have hampered responses in past outbreaks.
Speaking at the unveiling, CEPI’s Executive Director of Access and Business Development, Emma Wheatley, emphasised that Lassa fever has affected lives and livelihoods in West Africa for decades, but progress is being made. She noted that experts anticipate the first Lassa fever vaccine approvals within the next five years, stressing that the region must begin preparations immediately to maximise the benefits of future vaccines.
The Lassa Fever E2E Access Roadmap sets out a unified, regionally led approach that covers every stage needed to move a vaccine from development to sustained use. The framework includes:
- Research and Development
- Regulatory and Policy Preparedness
- Manufacturing and Supply Planning
- Financing and Procurement
- Delivery Systems and Long-Term Sustainability
By defining responsibilities, timelines, and key decision points across this continuum, the roadmap offers governments, funders, developers, manufacturers, and implementing partners a practical guide for ensuring timely, affordable, and equitable vaccine access—especially in endemic countries.
Dr. Virgil Lokossou, Director of Healthcare Services at WAHO, said ending the threat of Lassa fever requires early, deliberate action built on strong regional preparedness and sustained partnerships. He described the roadmap as a decisive step forward, noting that it provides a clear, region-led framework through which West Africa can define priorities for vaccine access and align countries, partners, and institutions around a shared vision.
Beyond planning, Lokossou said the roadmap is a call to action for continued collaboration and investment, reflecting the region’s determination to be ready ahead of vaccine availability and avoid the delays that undermined responses to previous epidemics.
The roadmap was developed through extensive consultations involving national governments, regional institutions, technical experts, civil society organisations, manufacturers, and global health partners, with West African leadership and country ownership central to its design.
As the region prepares for the potential arrival of Lassa fever vaccines, the roadmap signals a new phase of proactive planning aimed at protecting communities, strengthening health systems, and building long-term resilience against epidemic threats.