KNUST College of Health Sciences Awards GH¢120,000 Research Grants to Early-Career Scientists
The College of Health Sciences (CHS) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has awarded a total of GH¢120,000 in research grants to ten early-career researchers, reinforcing the College’s commitment to building research capacity and innovation in health sciences.
The grants were presented on 22nd December 2025 under the CHS Research Grant Scheme, with each awardee receiving GH¢12,000 to support the implementation of their research projects within 12 months.
The CHS Research Grant was initiated in 2021 by the Provost of the College, Professor Christian Agyare, to enhance the research capabilities of junior faculty members and PhD candidates. The scheme is designed to provide critical seed funding to talented researchers, encourage the exploration of novel research approaches, and pave the way for the development of major grant applications and impactful small-scale studies.
This year’s beneficiaries comprised five faculty members and five postgraduate students. The awardees were Mr. William Wilberforce Amoah (Department of Emergency and Critical Care Nursing), Dr. Esther Ohenewa (Department of Behavioural Sciences), Mr. Kofi Acheampong Asamoa Mensa (Department of Pharmaceutics), Ms. Anastasia Asare-Bediako (Department of Pharmacology), Mr. Kingsley Boakye (Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics), Mr. Timothy Pritchard Debrah (School of Nursing and Midwifery), Ms. Winifred Naa Adoley (Department of Pharmaceutics), Dr. Francis Opoku Agyapong (Department of Clinical Microbiology), Dr. Ruth Owusu-Antwi (Department of Behavioural Sciences), and Ms. Susana Dufie Boatey (Department of Pharmacognosy).
Congratulating the awardees, Professor Christian Agyare urged them to complete their projects within the stipulated timeframe and assured them of the College’s continued support. He encouraged the researchers to leverage the opportunity to attract larger competitive grants in the future. Professor Agyare also highlighted the progressive increase in the grant amount—from GH¢9,000 to GH¢12,000 per recipient since the scheme’s inception—and expressed hope for further increments in subsequent years. He noted that awardees are expected to produce at least one publication acknowledging the College’s contribution.
At the award meeting held at the CHS Boardroom, the Chairman of the College of Health Sciences Research Grant Committee, Professor Peter Donkor, emphasized the ethical and timely execution of the funded projects. He advised the awardees to carefully track their project milestones and prioritize the dissemination of their findings through publications. Professor Donkor further reminded them to adhere strictly to university financial regulations, reporting timelines, and established procedures governing the use of funds, personnel, and institutional resources.
The CHS Research Grant Scheme continues to play a vital role in nurturing the next generation of health researchers at KNUST, strengthening the College’s research output and its contribution to national and global health development.
