In Berlin, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) is backing a high-level meeting to discuss joint funding strategies for developing a Lassa fever vaccine. Organized by IAVI, MedAccess, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), this event will gather international and regional stakeholders to assess progress on a proposed financial plan.
Lassa fever continues to pose a major health risk in West Africa, and progress in vaccine development demands ongoing funding for advanced clinical trials, research preparedness, and production. The meeting aims to outline specific actions, including potential commitments from partners, to tackle the insufficient financial incentives for epidemic vaccines.
Building on Previous Commitments
This discussion follows the September 2025 Abidjan Ministerial Roundtable, where Health Ministers from 11 West African nations convened. The resulting statement endorsed IAVI’s recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) Lassa fever vaccine candidate as a regional initiative and pledged to pool national, regional, and global resources through shared funding.
WAHO will represent the interests of ECOWAS Member States in these financial talks, promoting regional control and coordinated investment in Lassa fever vaccine readiness. Dr. Virgil K. Lokossou, WAHO’s Director of Healthcare Services, will highlight how vaccine development investments can simultaneously enhance clinical research, lab capabilities, surveillance, regulatory frameworks, and regional preparedness for future health crises.
The suggested financial plan seeks to combine resources from public, philanthropic, and other funding sources to support Lassa fever vaccine progress. If effective, this model could be applied to finance other critical epidemic vaccines, such as IAVI’s rVSV Lassa fever vaccine candidate, backed by CEPI and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).
WAHO has chaired the regional Demand Forecasting Working Group, utilizing country consultations, expert insights, key informant contributions, and national Lassa Task Forces to create projections that inform the investment strategy for Lassa fever vaccines. This group has been key in understanding regional needs and priorities, offering valuable perspectives for the investment plan.
Scheduled for Sunday, 11 October 2026, at the Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof in Berlin, Germany, the High-Level Roundtable on Financing Lassa Fever Vaccine Development will provide a platform for partners to discuss and commit to a joint funding strategy. The focus will be on advancing Lassa fever vaccine development, research preparedness, and regional production capabilities.
