By Daniel Adu Darko
Accra, Oct. 22, GNA – Twenty Ghanaian postgraduate researchers are exploring potential new diagnostic tools, treatments and vaccines for infectious diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), HIV and drug-resistant bacterial infections.
The research is being undertaken under the African Development Bank (AfDB)-funded Post COVID-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP), implemented by the Social Investment Fund (SIF) in partnership with the Government of Ghana.
Mr Abass Adams-Nurudeen, Chief Executive Officer of the SIF and Project Coordinator, said the initiative sought to strengthen the country’s preparedness for future pandemics through scientific research and the development of skilled personnel.
He was speaking at an appraisal meeting organised by the SIF to review the progress of research by the 20 scholars pursuing Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes and assess their readiness to submit their final reports for certification.
“Today was quite revealing. We learned that the money being spent is being put to good use,” he said.
Mr Adams-Nurudeen said the COVID-19 pandemic had demonstrated the need for sustained investment in scientific research and innovation to prepare for unexpected public health emergencies.
He cited research into HIV treatment, antiretroviral drugs, tuberculosis and typhoid as examples of efforts to address areas that required further scientific investigation.
Mr Adams-Nurudeen expressed the hope that the researchers would complete their work on schedule to enable the country to benefit from the findings.
He said the project would also explore additional funding opportunities to support promising research areas that might not be fully covered by existing resources.
Professor Kwamena Sagoe, Project Lead, said the 20 scholars, comprising 10 men and 10 women, were undertaking research intended to produce practical solutions to health challenges.
He described the work as translational research, which seeks to bridge the gap between scientific discoveries and their application to real-world problems.
One of the projects, Prof. Sagoe said, was developing a rapid test to quantify Tenofovir, a drug used in HIV treatment, to help establish whether patients had taken their medication.
Such a test could provide an objective means of monitoring medication use beyond patients’ self-reports, potentially supporting more effective treatment monitoring.
Another researcher was investigating a potential tuberculosis vaccine using synthetic peptides designed to mimic components of the bacterium responsible for the disease.
Other scholars were examining natural products and how modifications involving synthetic peptides could improve their effectiveness against disease-causing microorganisms.
Prof. Sagoe said the research portfolio also included studies on vaccines for tuberculosis and rabies, alongside diagnostic tools and treatments for infectious diseases.
He said some projects showed promising levels of novelty, with the broader aim of developing research tools, vaccine-development templates and other outputs that could support further scientific advancement.
Although the impact of individual projects would vary, Prof. Sagoe expressed optimism that some findings could provide a foundation for further innovation and contribute to economic development, including opportunities to earn foreign exchange.
He said an immediate benefit of the programme was the development of skilled professionals already serving in Ghana’s health and education sectors.
Some beneficiaries were lecturers at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and Accra Technical University (ATU), while others were affiliated with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
Prof. Sagoe said their advanced training would strengthen their capacity to teach, conduct research and contribute to their institutions’ responsibilities, including maintaining quality and safety standards.
“For me, my greatest joy is that the majority of these researchers we are training are already engaged in our health system,” he said.
Prof. Sagoe said the benefits extended beyond the eventual research findings, as the scholars were acquiring knowledge and skills they could apply in their institutions and share with colleagues.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Alhassan Sa-eed, a PhD student and lecturer at ATU, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that his research was examining whether compounds isolated from Cannabis sativa could improve the effectiveness of antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
His study, titled “Resistant Modulatory Inhibitory Activity of Pure Compound Isolated from Cannabis sativa Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria,” seeks to identify compounds that could be combined with antibiotics to help tackle bacterial infections that are difficult to treat with existing medicines.
The organisms under investigation include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which can cause serious infections, and Klebsiella species, which are associated with pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bloodstream infections in newborns.
Mr Sa-eed said the study was investigating the potential of the compounds as complementary approaches to addressing antimicrobial resistance, a growing challenge for healthcare systems worldwide.
He said the AfDB-supported scholarship had enabled him to pursue advanced studies and conduct research that would have been difficult to finance independently.
Other beneficiaries also told the GNA that the scholarship had eased the financial burden of postgraduate studies in microbiology, allowing them to concentrate on their research and professional development.
The PSDPEP forms part of broader government efforts to strengthen skills development and productivity following the COVID-19 pandemic, with postgraduate training and scientific research supporting preparedness for future health emergencies.
The research projects are still ongoing, and any findings will require further validation before potential clinical application.
The initiative aims to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to combat infectious diseases through local research, innovation and the development of practical, evidence-based solutions.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Daniel Adu Darko
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