TETFUND Urges Scientists to Develop Lassa Fever Vaccine

Sonni Echono, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), challenged Nigerian scientists to identify the fastest pathway to develop Nigeria's first Lassa Fever vaccine during an event in Abuja on Tuesday. This call to action coincided with the presentation of outcomes from a TETFUND-sponsored mega research project on Lassa Fever conducted by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO) in Benue State.

Echono emphasized that Lassa Fever poses a major public health burden and requires urgent scientific solutions. He noted the necessity for Nigeria to advance beyond mere research practices to interventions that directly benefit citizens.

The project received a N250 million mega research grant from TETFUND four years ago, marking a significant investment in Lassa Fever research. Principal investigator Professor Joseph Okopi disclosed that Nigeria has the highest burden of Lassa Fever globally, with annual deaths ranging from 5,000 to 10,000.

The study, presented by Professor Audu Onyemocho, involved 1,266 participants, with 392 suspected cases investigated across Benue and Kogi states.