The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) is supporting a high-level roundtable in Berlin on Sunday, 11 October 2026, to explore a collaborative financing framework for Lassa fever vaccine development, research readiness and regional manufacturing.

Convened by IAVI, MedAccess and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the meeting is organised with support from WAHO and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The roundtable will bring together regional and global partners to review progress towards a proposed financing framework, explore complementary partner roles and identify concrete next steps, including potential partner commitments.

Lassa fever remains a significant public health threat in West Africa. Advancing vaccine development requires sustained investment in late-stage clinical research, research readiness and manufacturing. Limited commercial incentives for epidemic vaccines underscore the need for collaborative approaches to financing these activities.

The discussions build on the September 2025 Abidjan Ministerial Roundtable, convened by WAHO with the Governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria, which brought together Ministers of Health or their representatives from 11 West African countries. The resulting Communiqué supported advancing IAVI’s recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) Lassa fever vaccine candidate as a regional pathfinder and committed to mobilising national, regional and global resources through a collaborative co-funding approach.

Building on these commitments, WAHO will bring the priorities of ECOWAS Member States into the financing discussions, advocating for regional ownership and coordinated investment in Lassa fever vaccine preparedness. Represented by Dr Virgil K. Lokossou, Director of Healthcare Services, WAHO will emphasise how investments in vaccine development can also strengthen clinical research, laboratory capacity, surveillance, regulatory systems and regional preparedness for future epidemic threats.

Complementing this regional leadership, WAHO has led the regional Demand Forecasting Working Group, drawing on country consultations, expert interviews, key informant inputs and national Lassa Task Forces to generate projections that can inform the Lassa fever vaccine investment case.

The proposed financing framework aims to bring together complementary contributions from public, philanthropic and other financing partners to support the advancement of Lassa fever vaccines. If successful, this approach could also provide a model for financing other priority epidemic vaccines.

IAVI’s investigational rVSV Lassa fever vaccine candidate, supported by CEPI and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), illustrates the importance of sustained investment in vaccine development alongside stronger regional research and manufacturing capabilities.

Event details

High-Level Roundtable on Financing Lassa Fever Vaccine Development Date: Sunday, 11 October 2026

Time: 16:30–18:00 CEST

Venue: Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof, Budapester Str. 25, 10787 Berlin, Germany Format: Closed-door roundtable

About the West African Health Organisation (WAHO)

The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) is the specialised health institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Established in 1987 and headquartered in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, WAHO works with Member States to harmonise health policies, strengthen health systems and promote regional cooperation to improve public health across West Africa.

Website: www.wahooas.org

Media contact

WAHO Communication Office communication@wahooas.org