A Model for Regional Health Sovereignty: The Lassa Fever Vaccine Coalition as a Framework for Equitable Epidemic Preparedness in Africa.
1
Health Care Services, West African Health Organization, Abidjan, Côte dIvoire
2
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Oslo, Norway
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Lassa fever, causing an estimated 100,000–300,000 annual infections in West Africa, represents a critical and persistent health security and equity challenge. Historically, vaccine development has been fragmented and slow, exemplifying the systemic neglect and market failures that affect epidemic-prone diseases in low-resource regions. In response, the West African Health Organization (WAHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched the Lassa Fever Vaccine Coalition (LFVC) in 2023 to coordinate regional vaccine research, regulatory alignment, and community-centered preparedness.
METHODS:
This practice report synthesizes the formative experiences and insights of the LFVC Secretariat and founding partners. The analysis is based on a review of internal coalition documents, strategic plans, meeting reports, and progress evaluations from the coalition’s preparatory phase in 2021 through its first operational phase, concluding in 2025.
RESULTS:
The LFVC established an inclusive, three-tier governance structure anchored in WAHO. Key outcomes include: convening the 2nd ECOWAS Lassa Fever International Conference (2025), which attracted 842 delegates from 32 countries and secured a ministerial co-financing commitment; launching dedicated technical working groups on policy, demand forecasting, and community engagement; and directly supporting the advancement of multiple clinical candidates. A pivotal achievement was the successful elevation of Lassa fever vaccine development onto the formal ECOWAS ministerial agenda in 2025, signaling high-level political ownership. Early implementation underscores the importance of a proactive engagement of social scientists and communities to address mistrust, and regional leadership.
CONCLUSIONS:
The LFVC model demonstrates that regionally owned governance is a viable and effective mechanism for coordinating complex health research and development. It provides a replicable framework for other epidemic-prone diseases in Africa, prioritizing leadership, intersectoral collaboration, and community centrality. For global public health, this approach offers a pathway to decolonize preparedness, overcome market failures in alignment with local epidemiological and social contexts, thereby advancing health equity and security.
Lassa fever, causing an estimated 100,000–300,000 annual infections in West Africa, represents a critical and persistent health security and equity challenge. Historically, vaccine development has been fragmented and slow, exemplifying the systemic neglect and market failures that affect epidemic-prone diseases in low-resource regions. In response, the West African Health Organization (WAHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched the Lassa Fever Vaccine Coalition (LFVC) in 2023 to coordinate regional vaccine research, regulatory alignment, and community-centered preparedness.
METHODS:
This practice report synthesizes the formative experiences and insights of the LFVC Secretariat and founding partners. The analysis is based on a review of internal coalition documents, strategic plans, meeting reports, and progress evaluations from the coalition’s preparatory phase in 2021 through its first operational phase, concluding in 2025.
RESULTS:
The LFVC established an inclusive, three-tier governance structure anchored in WAHO. Key outcomes include: convening the 2nd ECOWAS Lassa Fever International Conference (2025), which attracted 842 delegates from 32 countries and secured a ministerial co-financing commitment; launching dedicated technical working groups on policy, demand forecasting, and community engagement; and directly supporting the advancement of multiple clinical candidates. A pivotal achievement was the successful elevation of Lassa fever vaccine development onto the formal ECOWAS ministerial agenda in 2025, signaling high-level political ownership. Early implementation underscores the importance of a proactive engagement of social scientists and communities to address mistrust, and regional leadership.
CONCLUSIONS:
The LFVC model demonstrates that regionally owned governance is a viable and effective mechanism for coordinating complex health research and development. It provides a replicable framework for other epidemic-prone diseases in Africa, prioritizing leadership, intersectoral collaboration, and community centrality. For global public health, this approach offers a pathway to decolonize preparedness, overcome market failures in alignment with local epidemiological and social contexts, thereby advancing health equity and security.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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