Professor Alexander Yaw Debrah, of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has been awarded the prestigious EDCTP Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi Prize 2025.

The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) announced and presented the award today at the Kigali, Rwanda Convention Centre.

This esteemed prize recognizes Professor Debrah's exceptional achievements in advancing global health research and capacity development across Africa, significantly impacting the well-being of the African population, particularly those suffering from Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

Named after EDCTP's first High Representative and former Prime Minister of Mozambique, Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi, the prize honors individuals who have made unique contributions to promoting Africa-Europe partnerships in global health research, facilitating clinical development of products for poverty-related diseases, and advancing research capacity development in sub-Saharan Africa. Open to senior scientists, policymakers, or health advocates worldwide, the award includes a recognition trophy and a cash prize of €50,000.

As a Medical Parasitologist and Global Health Advocate at KNUST, Professor Debrah brings over two decades of experience in teaching, research, mentorship, and community service. His extensive leadership roles at KNUST include Head of the Department of Medical Diagnostics, Dean of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, and Acting Provost of the College of Health Sciences.

He is an elected Professorial Representative of the College of Health Sciences on the Academic Board and currently serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences.

Nationally, Professor Debrah is a member of the Ghana Health Service Intra-Country Coordinating Committee (ICCC) against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), mandated to help eliminate these diseases in Ghana. Internationally, he has chaired the Planning Committee of the Inter-Science Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) of the American Society for Microbiology, among other key positions.

Professor Debrah has led numerous basic and complex clinical research projects in Ghana, including clinical trials aimed at finding better drugs for treating lymphatic filariasis and river blindness.

He has forged strong research partnerships with international institutions such as the University of Bonn, Germany; Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Case Western Reserve University, USA; University of Buea, Cameroon; and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Tanzania.

His early career research significantly advanced the understanding of lymphatic filariasis disease development. His work was among the first to report that lymphedema (elephantiasis) and hydrocele (scrotal swelling) due to filariasis have a genetic predisposition, and that doxycycline, an affordable drug, could be used to treat them.

Professor Debrah is the group leader of the Filariasis Research Group at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) at KNUST. He also directs TAKeOFF, a multi-country consortium funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research, dedicated to overcoming obstacles in fighting filarial infections in Ghana, Tanzania, and Cameroon.

He has successfully attracted grants exceeding €15,000,000 from major funders, including the EDCTP, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the European Commission, and the German Ministry of Education and Research. Notably, together with partners from KNUST and Germany, Professor Debrah secured funds from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to establish the German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC) at KNUST.

His contributions have also earned him other accolades, including the prestigious bi-annual main prize of the German Paul-Ehrlich Society for anti-infective therapy and the German “Momento Research” Prize for Neglected Tropical Diseases, both received with his Bonn partners. As a distinguished academic, Professor Debrah was invited to deliver talks at the 9th and 10th UN General Assembly Science Summits in New York City in 2023 and 2024.

His presentations focused on tackling obstacles in fighting filarial infections and podoconiosis, and on how North-South research collaborations contribute to SDG target 3 for healthy lives.

Professor Debrah has over 160 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

"Professor Debrah’s dedication to global health research and capacity building embodies the spirit of the Dr. Pascoal Mocumbi Prize," said Marcel Tanner, EDCTP High Representative and President of the Swiss Academy of Arts and Sciences. "We are honoured to recognize his outstanding contributions."

The EDCTP is a public-public partnership between European and African countries, supported by the European Union. Its mission is to accelerate the development of new or improved medicinal products for poverty-related infectious diseases through clinical research and capacity building in sub-Saharan Africa.