By Felix Khanoba
Nigeria’s drive to tackle the recurring threat of Lassa fever received renewed momentum on Tuesday as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) urged scientists to accelerate efforts towards developing the country’s first vaccine against the deadly disease.
The call followed the presentation of findings from a landmark TETFund-funded research project, which revealed new insights into the epidemiology, transmission and risk factors associated with Lassa fever across several states.
The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, made the call in Abuja during the presentation of the outcomes of the TETFund-sponsored Mega Research Project on Lassa Fever undertaken by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State.
Describing Lassa fever as a persistent public health challenge with devastating consequences, Echono said the country must move beyond research findings to practical interventions capable of saving lives.
Responding to the research outcomes, he urged the scientists to prioritise vaccine development, stressing that immunisation remains the most effective strategy for controlling infectious diseases.
He said: “What is the shortest route towards developing a vaccine? How can we ensure that the burden on our people is reduced? 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?”
Echono assured the research team that TETFund would collaborate with relevant government agencies to ensure the findings are translated into concrete health interventions.
“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 added.
He also praised the researchers for producing evidence capable of strengthening healthcare delivery and disease control in the country.
“We believe that once we can manage, control and gradually defeat some of these diseases affecting our people, we would have made significant progress in improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.”
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Professor Francis Aba Uba, described the project as one of the institution’s most significant research achievements.
He recalled that about four years ago, TETFund awarded the university a N250 million Mega Research Grant to investigate Lassa fever, describing the intervention as a major vote of confidence in the capabilities of Nigerian researchers.
“This significant investment was not merely financial support; it was an expression of confidence in the capacity of Nigerian scientists and institutions to generate evidence-based solutions to one of our nation’s most persistent public health challenges.”
According to the Vice-Chancellor, Lassa fever continues to pose severe health, social and economic challenges across Nigeria and the West African sub-region through recurring outbreaks that overstretch healthcare systems and threaten national health security.
He noted that the project generated critical scientific evidence on the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and control of the disease while also strengthening the university’s research capacity.
“Beyond expanding the frontiers of knowledge, the project has strengthened our research infrastructure, enhanced laboratory capacity, developed young investigators, fostered national and international collaborations and produced findings capable of influencing clinical practice and public health policy.”
Professor Uba thanked TETFund for supporting the relatively young institution and appealed to both the Fund and the Federal Government to designate the university as a National Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research.
“Such recognition will consolidate the gains of this successful Lassa fever project and position FUHSO to provide sustained leadership in research, surveillance, innovation, capacity building and evidence-based responses to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.”
Presenting the research findings, the project’s Principal Investigator, Professor Joseph Okopi, disclosed that Nigeria bears the highest global burden of Lassa fever, with between 5,000 and 10,000 deaths recorded annually.
He explained that the TETFund-sponsored project represents the largest multi-state population surveillance study on Lassa fever ever conducted in the country.
“Our study investigated the prevalence of antibodies, identified rodent vectors, determined transmission patterns and examined the risk factors associated with Lassa fever infection.”
According to him, Benue State recorded the highest prevalence of Lassa fever antibodies among the five states covered by the study.
The findings further showed that adults aged between 20 and 40 years were the most exposed to the virus due to their involvement in farming and other outdoor activities.
“We found that people within the productive age group of 20 to 40 years had the highest antibody prevalence because they engage more in farming and activities that expose them to infected rodents.”
The research also identified several environmental conditions associated with increased risk of infection, including poor housing, rodent infestation, food contamination, leaking roofs and poorly fitted doors.
Professor Okopi further revealed that the study challenged one of the widely held assumptions about the transmission of the disease.
“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.”
Also presenting the clinical aspect of the research, Professor Audu Onyemocho said 1,266 participants were enrolled in the study, while 392 suspected Lassa fever cases were investigated across Benue and Kogi states.
He disclosed that laboratory analysis confirmed 43 cases through real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with Benue recording 25 cases and Kogi accounting for 18.
Professor Onyemocho added that bleeding, advanced age and seizures emerged as the strongest predictors of mortality among confirmed Lassa fever patients.
Speaking on future research priorities, former Director of NEMA and adviser to the research team, Professor John Idoko, stressed that developing a vaccine remains the ultimate objective in the fight against Lassa fever.
