The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has challenged Nigerian researchers to prioritise the development of an indigenous vaccine against Lassa fever, saying the country must urgently find lasting solutions to the recurring disease.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving the report of a TETFund-sponsored Mega Research Project on Lassa Fever undertaken by the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, the agency’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, said scientific discoveries should lead to practical healthcare interventions.
He urged the research team to focus on developing a vaccine, noting that prevention remains the most effective way to reduce the impact of infectious diseases.
“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?” he said.
Echono assured the researchers that the agency would engage relevant government bodies to ensure the study contributes to policy formulation and future public health interventions.
“We will escalate these findings to the relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 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.
Earlier, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Francis Uba, described the project as a landmark achievement for the institution. He recalled that the university received a ₦250 million TETFund Mega Research Grant about four years ago to investigate Lassa fever.
“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,” he said.
According to Uba, the research has expanded knowledge of the disease, strengthened laboratory capacity and enhanced collaboration with local and international partners. He appealed to the Federal Government and TETFund to designate the university as a National Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research.
Presenting the study, Principal Investigator Joseph Okopi said Nigeria remains the country most affected by Lassa fever globally, recording between 5,000 and 10,000 deaths each year.
He explained that the research investigated antibody prevalence, disease transmission, rodent vectors and environmental risk factors across selected states, with Benue recording the highest prevalence of Lassa fever antibodies.
The findings also identified poor housing conditions, rodent infestation, contaminated food, leaking roofs and poorly fitted doors as major contributors to infection.
Okopi said one common assumption about the disease did not align with the study’s findings.
“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,” he said.
Another researcher, Audu Onyemocho, disclosed that the study enrolled 1,266 participants and investigated 392 suspected cases across Benue and Kogi states, confirming 43 infections through laboratory testing. He added that bleeding, advanced age and seizures were the leading indicators of mortality among confirmed patients.
Also speaking, John Idoko stressed that developing a safe and effective vaccine should remain the country’s long-term objective in the fight against Lassa fever.
