TETFund challenges Nigerian scientists to develop Lassa fever vaccine
TETFund challenges Nigerian scientists to develop Lassa fever vaccine
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has challenged Nigerian scientists to identify the fastest pathway towards developing the country’s first Lassa fever vaccine, saying the recurring disease continues to pose a major public health burden.
Sonny Echono, executive secretary of TETFund, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during the presentation of the findings of a TETFund-sponsored mega research project on Lassa fever conducted by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State.
Echono said the findings underscored the need for Nigeria to move beyond research to practical interventions capable of saving lives.
“What is the shortest route towards developing a vaccine? How can we ensure that the burden on our people is reduced?” he asked.
“Every year, thousands of Nigerians die from Lassa fever. How can we reduce this burden?
“I know a vaccine is usually the most effective mode of disease control. You vaccinate people and they become almost immune. What is the fastest path, and how can TETFund support that drive so that we can achieve direct benefits and direct impact on the lives of Nigerians?”
He assured the researchers that TETFund would engage relevant government institutions, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the federal ministry of health, to ensure the findings inform national health interventions.
According to him, validation of the research could strengthen the case for establishing a vaccine development centre in Nigeria.
“We will escalate these findings to the relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health. If we receive the validation we expect, it will strengthen our case for establishing a vaccine development centre in Nigeria,” he said.
Echono commended the research team for producing findings capable of improving healthcare delivery and addressing one of Nigeria’s most persistent infectious diseases.
BENUE RECORDS HIGHEST EXPOSURE
Earlier, Francis Aba Uba, vice-chancellor of FUHSO, described the project as one of the institution’s biggest research investments.
He said TETFund awarded the university a N250 million Mega Research Grant about four years ago to investigate Lassa fever, describing the funding as a vote of confidence in the capacity of Nigerian researchers.
Uba said the project had generated valuable scientific evidence on the epidemiology, diagnosis, management and control of Lassa fever while strengthening the university’s laboratory infrastructure, research capacity and collaborations.
He appealed to TETFund and the federal government to designate FUHSO as a National Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research.
Presenting the findings, Joseph Okopi, principal investigator of the project, said Nigeria bears the highest burden of Lassa fever globally, recording between 5,000 and 10,000 deaths annually.
He described the TETFund-funded research as the largest multi-state population surveillance study on Lassa fever ever conducted in Nigeria.
According to Okopi, the study investigated antibody prevalence, rodent vectors, transmission patterns and risk factors associated with the disease.
He disclosed that Benue recorded the highest prevalence of Lassa fever antibodies among the five states surveyed.
The study also found that adults aged between 20 and 40 years faced the highest exposure to the virus because of their frequent involvement in farming and other outdoor activities.
Researchers identified poor housing conditions, rodent infestation, food contamination, leaking roofs and poorly fitted doors as major environmental risk factors.
The study further challenged the widespread belief that eating rodents is the primary cause of Lassa fever transmission.
“We discovered that the commonly held belief that eating rodents is the major predictor of infection was not supported by our findings. Rodent consumption was not an independent predictor of Lassa fever infection,” Okopi said.
Also presenting clinical findings, Audu Onyemocho said 1,266 participants were enrolled in the study, while 392 suspected cases were investigated across Benue and Kogi states.
He said 43 cases were confirmed through real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, with 25 recorded in Benue and 18 in Kogi.
According to Onyemocho, bleeding, advanced age and seizures were identified as the strongest predictors of mortality among confirmed patients.
John Idoko, former director-general of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and adviser to the research team, said developing a vaccine should remain Nigeria’s long-term priority in the fight against Lassa fever.
