Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has won a €5 million grant from the European Union to create a special microscope powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to help detect parasitic diseases in poor and remote areas.
The project, called MultiplexAI, will help diagnose diseases like malaria, African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), leishmaniasis, and filariasis using a simple microscope, a smartphone, and an app. It will allow health workers in rural areas to quickly test patients without needing to send samples to far-away laboratories.
“This is a groundbreaking project and a proud moment for Ahmadu Bello University. The funding will help us develop an AI-powered microscope for diagnosing parasitic diseases, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas,” the university said in a statement published on its website on Monday.
The €5 million funding comes from the European Union’s Horizon Europe EDCTP3 programme, which supports health research in Africa.
ABU’s proposal was one of only four selected out of 240 submissions under the theme “Innovative Digital Health Solutions for Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Dr. Gloria Dada Chechet, a molecular parasitologist and a senior lecturer in ABU’s Department of Biochemistry, will lead the project. She works under the Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB).
Dr. Chechet has received international recognition for her work on tropical diseases and women’s health research.
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According to the university, the project supports Nigeria’s push for digital healthcare and could save many lives in areas where traditional diagnostic tools are hard to access.
“This development sets a new benchmark for digital health innovation on the continent,” ABU said, adding that the award will raise the university’s global profile and place it among Africa’s leaders in AI-driven health research.
The MultiplexAI tool is expected to be low-cost, easy to use, and scalable, making it a powerful weapon against neglected tropical diseases in Africa.