Child-friendly ivermectin formulation researchers eye mass access in Ghana
Ghanaian scientists help pioneer paediatric dosing trials for a key anti-worm medicine, targeting children under five nationwide.
A coalition of Ghanaian researchers is taking part in international trials testing a child-friendly formulation of ivermectin, a medicine already widely used against river blindness and other parasitic worm infections. The new version aims to replace the current bitter liquid that many young children cannot swallow, making treatment easier for kids under five who are most vulnerable to soil-transmitted helminths. With funding from global health partners, scientists at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research are leading pharmacokinetic studies to determine safe, age-specific doses now being tested across Accra and Kumasi hospital clinics. For Ghana, where over two million children are treated annually for worm infections, this innovation could mean more children complete treatment without hospital visits. The trials follow years of advocacy by local health workers who struggled to administer accurate doses using adult-strength syrups. If successful, the formulation could be rolled out through Ghana Health Service's school deworming programme within two years, potentially reducing parasite burdens among urban and rural children alike.
