Watch the official video presentation on the FUHSO Lassa Fever Mega Research Project
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has issued a strong call to Nigerian scientists, urging them to intensify efforts toward developing the country's first vaccine against Lassa fever. This appeal was made during the presentation of findings from the TETFund-funded Mega Research Project on Lassa Fever, undertaken by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State.
The recurring outbreak of Lassa fever remains a major public health challenge that requires urgent scientific intervention. We must accelerate efforts towards developing Nigeria's first vaccine against this disease.
The research project, which received a substantial N250 million grant from TETFund, represents one of the most significant research initiatives undertaken by FUHSO. The findings presented in Abuja highlighted the urgent need for practical solutions to combat the disease, which claims between 5,000 and 10,000 lives annually in Nigeria.
Dr. Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary of TETFund, emphasized that the research outcomes underscore the necessity for Nigeria to move beyond academic research and focus on developing concrete public health interventions. He stressed that immunization remains the most effective strategy for controlling infectious diseases.
We must move beyond academic research and focus on practical solutions capable of improving the lives of our citizens. This research outcome underscores that need.
The research team, led by Principal Investigator Prof. Joseph Okopi, reported that Nigeria bears the highest global burden of Lassa fever. Clinical findings presented by Prof. Audu Onyemocho revealed that 1,266 participants were enrolled in the study, with 392 suspected Lassa fever cases investigated in Benue and Kogi states. The study identified bleeding, advanced age, and seizures as the strongest predictors of death among confirmed patients.
FUHSO Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Francis Aba Uba, expressed gratitude to TETFund for the grant and appealed for the university to be designated as a National Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research. The project's ultimate objective, as stated by former NEMA Director General and research adviser Prof. John Idoko, remains the development of a safe and effective Lassa fever vaccine.
Information, Public Relations & Protocol Unit
Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO)