The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says it is working with partners to conduct clinical trials of a Lassa vaccine in the country.
NCDC Director-General, Ifedayo Adetifa, stated this Tuesday in Abuja during the Lassa fever research colloquium and workshop organized by the NCDC in collaboration with University College London and Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics. It was themed ‘Lassa Fever Research and Policy for a changing world.
As of April 23, a total of 4,908 suspected cases, 897 confirmed cases and 154 deaths had been recorded in 26 states.
Adetifa said the first phase of the clinical trials, which are human trials to establish safety, would be held in Ghana, while the later stages focusing on immunity and efficacy, among others, would be done in Nigeria.
He said the trial sites include the Lassa fever centres in Irrua, Edo state, Owo, Ondo state and Abakaliki in Ebonyi state among others.
He said the focus of the colloquium was to advance the collective efforts towards combating Lassa fever through sharing new ideas, research findings, and best practices related to Lassa fever epidemiology, case management, prevention and control, and molecular studies.
“Additionally, we hope to identify national Lassa fever research priorities to guide the development of the next 5-year Lassa fever research agenda for Nigeria,” he added.