PhD student Joseph Ngmenesegre Suglo has been awarded $3,000 to run a student-led Hypertension and Diabetes prevention education project in Ghana.

The award will pay for monthly clinics in rural Northern Ghana, the screening of patients who would otherwise be unable to afford their tests, and a day-long workshop for 50 healthcare professionals to update their knowledge on the prevention and management of Hypertension and Diabetes.

Joseph and his colleagues will also share their knowledge through a local community radio station that will host an hour-long show over 10 weeks. The project is expected to last for three months.

A first-year international student, Joseph applied to the University of Toronto's Student Engagement Awards along with two other first-year PhD students who are studying at the University. The theme for the project call was ‘Rebuilding Healthy Communities.’ The awards are designed to support student-led projects that contribute to rebuilding healthy, resilient, and equitable communities as part of the global community’s post-COVID recovery.

Joseph is the first ever recipient of the King’s College London Africa International PGR Scholarship award and joined the Faculty in October 2020. The Scholarship supports African nationals undertake interdisciplinary research projects at the intersection of two or more themes relevant to Africa.

His PhD research explores interventions for diabetic foot ulcers currently being developed or used in practice and investigates potential refinements.

Read more about the University of Toronto Student Engagement Awards on the University of Toronto project call webpage.

You can find out more about scholarship and funding opportunities at King’s on our funding webpages.