West Africa’s ability to tackle Lassa fever, emerging infectious diseases and future epidemics is being held back by a shortage of trained health workers, a keynote speaker warned, at the ECOWAS Lassa Fever International Conference happening in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
On Day 4 of the meeting, Dr. Muhammad Shakir Balogun of the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme said the region’s biggest challenge is not technology or funding, but the lack of skilled and motivated people to respond when outbreaks strike.
“Every epidemiologist trained, every nurse empowered, every scientist supported, every trialist equipped—brings us closer to ending Lassa fever and the next epidemic,” Dr. Shakir told delegates.
According to him, the “pipelines” that produce frontline health professionals – medical schools, nursing and veterinary colleges, laboratory science programs, and postgraduate training institutions – are overstretched. Limited opportunities for advanced training and poor retention, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas, leave dangerous gaps in preparedness.
Four Workforce Gaps
Dr. Shakir outlined four urgent areas where investment is needed:
- Surveillance and Field Epidemiology – Expanding the cadre of trained professionals to detect outbreaks early.
- Clinical Care and Infection Prevention – Ensuring clinicians and nurses can quickly recognize and manage cases, with infection prevention champions embedded in every facility.
- Laboratory and Research Capacity – Scaling up diagnostic services and research to provide real-time evidence.
- Clinical Trials and Regulation – Building capacity for designing and managing clinical trials, with strong ethics and regulatory oversight.
He added that workforce development must also embrace gender equity, youth inclusion, digital tools such as e-surveillance and telemedicine, and the “One Health” approach linking human, animal, and environmental health.
Regional Lessons
There are encouraging signs. Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) in Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia are producing a new generation of outbreak responders. Initiatives like Sierra Leone’s Lassa Clinical Research Unit and Nigeria’s Lassa Fever Clinical Fellowship are also expanding specialized expertise.
But Dr. Shakir emphasized that isolated national efforts cannot close the gaps. “The lesson is clear: coordinated, regional action works. We must harmonize training, share expertise, and build a resilient workforce together,” he said.
A Call for Urgent Investment
As outbreaks continue to disrupt lives and economies in West Africa, the shortage of skilled health workers is emerging as the defining challenge of epidemic preparedness. For communities most at risk, this gap is not abstract – it is the frontline between survival and catastrophe.
The presentation and panel discussion emphasized strongly without urgent investment in people, West Africa’s fight against Lassa fever and other infectious threats will remain on fragile ground
