KNUST and DNDi Open Ghana's First Specialised Bilharzia Drug Research Lab in Kumasi

Ghana has taken a significant step in the battle against one of its most persistent parasitic diseases, with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) jointly launching the country's first laboratory dedicated to testing drug candidates against schistosomiasis — commonly known as bilharzia. The facility, based in Kumasi, will screen approximately 100 chemical compounds for their effectiveness against both juvenile and adult forms of the bilharzia worm.

What the new laboratory will do

The newly established lab represents a landmark moment for pharmaceutical and tropical disease research in Ghana. Scientists at the facility will evaluate a broad library of drug molecules, assessing how effectively each compound can target Schistosoma parasites at different stages of their life cycle. Targeting both juvenile and adult worms is considered scientifically important because existing treatments have well-known limitations — the widely used drug praziquantel, for example, works primarily on adult worms and offers little protection against juvenile stages of the parasite.

The partnership brings together KNUST's scientific expertise and infrastructure with DNDi's global experience in developing affordable medicines for diseases that disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries. Funding for the initiative has been provided by Germany, reflecting growing international recognition that neglected tropical diseases require sustained investment in local research capacity rather than solutions developed entirely abroad.

Why it matters for Ghana

Schistosomiasis remains a serious public health concern in Ghana, particularly in communities living near rivers, lakes and irrigation schemes where freshwater snails — the intermediate host of the parasite — thrive. Children are especially vulnerable, with repeated infections leading to anaemia, malnutrition, impaired cognitive development and organ damage over time. Northern Ghana and parts of the Volta Basin have historically recorded high rates of infection, though the disease affects communities across multiple regions.

Ghana currently relies almost entirely on mass drug administration programmes using praziquantel donated through international health organisations. While these campaigns help control the disease burden, they do not eliminate it, and there is no vaccine available. The establishment of a home-grown research laboratory signals a shift towards Ghana playing an active role in generating the scientific knowledge needed to develop next-generation treatments — rather than simply being a recipient of medicines designed elsewhere.

Beyond the immediate disease focus, the lab strengthens KNUST's standing as a centre of biomedical research excellence in West Africa. Building local capacity to conduct this kind of high-level drug screening means Ghana will be better positioned to respond to future disease challenges and to attract further international research investment.

The bigger picture for neglected tropical diseases

Schistosomiasis affects hundreds of millions of people globally, the vast majority of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite this enormous burden, it has historically received far less research funding than diseases such as malaria or tuberculosis. DNDi was established precisely to address this imbalance, operating on a not-for-profit model that prioritises affordability and access in the development of new treatments.

The Kumasi laboratory fits into a wider DNDi strategy of embedding research capacity within affected countries, ensuring that scientific talent on the continent contributes directly to solving health problems faced by their own communities. For Ghana, the partnership offers not only the prospect of better medicines but also the training and institutional development that come with running a facility of this kind.

• Researchers will work to identify compounds effective against both juvenile and adult schistosomiasis worms — a key scientific challenge.
• Praziquantel, the current standard treatment, has limitations that make new drug development urgent.
• The lab bolsters KNUST's reputation as a leading biomedical research institution in the West African sub-region.