By Muhammad Ramatu Amirah U19MM1006
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has been awarded a €5 million research grant to develop a cutting edge diagnostic microscope designed to detect parasitic diseases that continue to affect millions across Africa. These include life threatening illnesses such as sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis), malaria, leishmaniasis, and filariasis.
The grant comes from Europe’s Horizon Programme through the MultiplexAI initiative, under Horizon Europe EDCTP3. Out of more than 240 proposals submitted across six priority areas in digital diagnostics, only four were selected, ABU's project being the only one from Nigeria. This milestone marks the first time a Nigerian university will host a Horizon Europe funded project, signaling a major achievement for the country’s academic and health research landscape.
The project is being led by Dr. Gloria Dada Chechet, a Reader in Biochemistry at ABU and a renowned molecular parasitologist. Dr. Chechet’s team is developing an advanced, easy to use microscope system that will allow health workers in remote and underserved communities to diagnose multiple parasitic infections directly in the field. The device will operate with basic tools, a microscope, a smartphone, and a mobile app making it both accessible and practical for use in low resource settings.
This diagnostic innovation is expected to significantly improve early detection and treatment of parasitic diseases, especially in rural areas where laboratory infrastructure is limited. It also positions ABU as a growing force in global health research and reinforces the importance of African led solutions to the continent’s most pressing health challenges.