A growing partnership between Ghana and Morocco is being presented as a blueprint for advancing Africa’s health sovereignty, with experts urging African countries to invest in genomics and precision medicine to combat the continent’s rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The call was made during a webinar held on Monday, July 27, 2026, on the theme, “Genomics and NCDs: Toward African-Led Precision Medicine – Shaping the Future of African Health.”
Presenting a paper at the webinar, Professor Nasser Laouali, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) in Ben Guerir, Morocco, said Africa’s response to the growing burden of NCDs must be driven by African-led genomic research and stronger regional collaboration.
He noted that the continent is facing a silent health crisis, with about one in four African adults now living with multimorbidity, warning that by 2030, deaths from non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes, are expected to surpass those from communicable, maternal and nutritional diseases combined.
Prof. Laouali argued that treating diseases after they occur is no longer sufficient, stressing that prevention through precision medicine represents the most sustainable approach to healthcare on the continent.
He explained that genomic sovereignty, the ability of African countries to generate, own and use their own genetic data, is critical to achieving that goal.
According to him, despite Africa possessing the world’s greatest genetic diversity, the continent contributes only about two per cent of data in global genomic databases, resulting in many medicines and treatment protocols being developed using non-African genetic information.
“This leaves millions of Africans underserved by healthcare solutions that are not designed around their genetic profiles,” he indicated.
Prof. Laouali explained that integrating genomic information into public health systems would enable earlier detection of diseases, identify populations at greater risk and support the development of personalised treatments tailored to African populations.
He also highlighted the Ghana-Morocco partnership as an example of how African countries can leverage their complementary strengths to accelerate precision medicine.
He said Ghana offers strong clinical expertise, an expanding biomedical research ecosystem and initiatives such as The African Cancer Atlas (TACA), while Morocco has invested heavily in genomic infrastructure through the Precision Medicine Hub and the Moroccan Genome Project.
According to Prof. Laouali, the partnership includes researcher exchanges, postgraduate training in artificial intelligence and genomic sequencing, as well as collaborative research on cancer and neurological diseases.
He noted that the collaboration forms part of seven bilateral agreements signed between Ghana and Morocco in July 2026 to deepen cooperation in healthcare, scientific research and pharmaceutical development.
Prof. Laouali also referenced President John Dramani Mahama’s call for greater health sovereignty, describing it as a timely response to declining international health financing and the need for African countries to strengthen their capacity to finance healthcare, manufacture medicines locally and safeguard sensitive health data.
He noted that several African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, have already adopted national genomics strategies, while the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) continues to promote genomics as a key pillar of the continent’s health security agenda.
He concluded that African nations must invest in population-specific genomic databases, train more genomic scientists and strengthen regional partnerships if they are to build resilient health systems capable of responding to future health challenges.
“The future of precision medicine will not be imported into Africa,” he said. “It must be built in Africa, by Africans, for African populations.”
As Africa seeks to build the next generation of scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs, Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is rapidly emerging as one of the continent’s leading centres of higher learning, attracting students and researchers from across Africa, including Ghana.
Established in 2017, UM6P is a research-intensive university designed to address Africa’s most pressing development challenges through science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. The institution describes itself as being “anchored in Morocco with a resolutely African scope,” reflecting its ambition to become a pan-African hub for education, research and sustainable development.
The university’s main campus is located in Ben Guerir, about 70 kilometres north of Marrakech, within the Mohammed VI Green City—an innovation and knowledge hub purpose-built to foster collaboration between academia, industry and government. Beyond Ben Guerir, UM6P has expanded its footprint with campuses and research centres in Rabat and Laayoune, as well as international hubs in Paris and Canada.
Unlike many conventional universities, UM6P places strong emphasis on applied research and practical learning. Students work alongside researchers and industry partners to develop solutions to challenges facing Africa, including climate change, food security, renewable energy, digital transformation, healthcare and industrial development.
The university offers undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and executive education programmes in a wide range of disciplines, including Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computer Science, Agriculture, Biosciences, Mining, Geosciences, Renewable Energy, Architecture, Business and Management, Economics, Public Policy, Medical and Health Sciences, Humanities, African Studies and Entrepreneurship. Research and innovation are integrated into nearly every programme, supported by world-class laboratories, innovation centres and start-up incubation platforms.
UM6P’s long-term vision extends beyond Morocco. Through its Africa Initiative and extensive partnerships with governments, universities and private sector organisations, the institution seeks to develop African-led solutions to African challenges by investing in research, capacity building and innovation. Its priorities include strengthening food systems, advancing artificial intelligence, accelerating the continent’s energy transition, promoting sustainable agriculture, improving healthcare and supporting entrepreneurship across Africa.
The university has become increasingly attractive to Ghanaian students and academics. A growing number of Ghanaians are enrolled in master’s and PhD programmes in fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Economics, Public Health and Sustainable Development. Many benefit from scholarships offered by the university and other academic partnerships aimed at developing highly skilled professionals for the continent.
Its multicultural environment, internationally recognised faculty, generous scholarship opportunities for African students and strong collaboration with leading universities around the world continue to position UM6P as one of Africa’s fastest-rising institutions of higher learning.
As competition intensifies among African universities to produce globally competitive graduates, UM6P is positioning itself not merely as a university, but as an innovation ecosystem where education, research, entrepreneurship and industry converge to help shape Africa’s future.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
