Nigeria will host a regional conference on Lassa fever vaccine development on Wednesday, January 15.
The announcement was made by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, during an appearance on Channels Television’s “Sunrise Daily” on Monday.
Prof. Pate stated, “On Lassa fever, I’ll say that on the 15th of January this week, we’re hosting a regional conversation on the Lassa fever vaccine development.
Nigeria is leading in the West African sub-region, with a consortium of countries conducting studies aimed at introducing a Lassa fever vaccine over time to address this issue.”
Lassa fever, which is endemic in Nigeria, continues to be a significant public health challenge across all states in the country.
As of week 52 of 2024, Nigeria reported 9,685 suspected cases, 1,187 confirmed cases, and 191 deaths across 28 states and 138 local government areas.
In response to the ongoing outbreak, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention activated the Lassa Fever Emergency Operations Centre in December 2024 to tackle the surge in cases during the peak season.
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, with the multimammate rat, also known as the African rat, serving as its natural reservoir.
Other rodents can also carry the virus.
The minister also emphasized the importance of collaboration at all levels of government to improve health outcomes.
He explained that efforts are underway to build a system of cooperation through performance dialogues, scorecards, and accountability measures.
These initiatives aim to incentivize states and local governments to enhance their healthcare performance by comparing their progress with that of their peers.
Prof. Pate noted, “What we’re building is coherence, collaboration, and cooperation between different levels of government.
That is the way to improve population health outcomes in Nigeria.
There are also other factors outside the health system.”
He further highlighted the critical role education plays in improving health outcomes, particularly in reducing maternal mortality and increasing immunization rates.
“Uneducated mothers have the bulk of zero-dose children and those who are not immunized,” he pointed out, citing the importance of educational systems in enhancing public health.
Additionally, Prof. Pate discussed the interdepartmental collaboration that strengthens the healthcare system.
“My new colleague, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, came from the Ministry of Environment, which is crucial for our work alongside the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal.
We are working collaboratively, as health issues are closely linked to environmental factors.”
He also recognized the role of other sectors in addressing health challenges.
“The Minister of Women Affairs plays an important role in health, as does the Minister of Water Resources, especially in combating cholera.
A cross-sectoral group assembled by the President worked on tackling the cholera outbreak, acknowledging the critical connection between water, sanitation, hygiene, and public health,” he added.
