The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) School of Pharmacy has hosted a three-day intensive workshop aimed at strengthening neuropharmacology research capacity for mental health in Ghana.
Held from March 25 to 27, 2026, the programme brought together researchers, clinicians, and graduate students under the theme “Building Neuropharmacology Research Capacity for Mental Health in Ghana.”
The workshop was funded and organised by the International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) and the Wellcome Trust under the IBRO Neuroscience Capacity Accelerator for Mental Health (NCAMH) Programme, in collaboration with Ulster University, UK, and other partners supporting UK-Ghana research cooperation.
Facilitators guided participants through key areas including neurobehavioral research models, plant-based drug discovery, compound analysis, ethical considerations in research, data science, and grant proposal development.
Experts at the workshop highlighted the rising burden of mental health conditions in Ghana and across Africa, stressing that limited funding, workforce shortages, and inadequate access to treatment continue to widen the care gap.
They further emphasized the need to integrate mental health into primary healthcare systems, strengthen community-based interventions, and promote multidisciplinary collaboration in research and practice.
Ethical research conduct, informed consent, and participant protection were also strongly reinforced as key pillars of credible scientific work.
Organisers noted that the training is part of a broader effort to position UHAS as a leading neuroscience and mental health research hub in West Africa, with long-term benefits for innovation, policy development, and improved healthcare delivery.
UHAS Builds Capacity in Neuropharmacology Research Through Mental Health Workshop
UHAS Builds Capacity in Neuropharmacology Research Through Mental Health Workshop