KNUST Students Develop Mobile App To Detect Malaria Early In Kumasi

Students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have developed a mobile application to detect malaria early and provide health advice to users in Kumasi and other parts of Ghana.

The mobile app, named “MalariaCheck,” was unveiled by the students during a technology exhibition held at the College of Health Sciences at KNUST in Kumasi on Monday, May 12, 2026. The exhibition was organized by the University and was covered by Ghana News Agency (GNA).

According to the leader of the student team, Mr. Kwabena Osei, a final year student studying Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, the app uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze symptoms reported by users and predict whether they have malaria. He said the app was developed after six months of research.

Speaking to Joy News in an interview at the exhibition, Mr. Osei explained that users can download the app from Google Play Store, answer questions about their symptoms such as fever, headache, joint pains and vomiting, and the app will analyze and advise them. He said the app also provides information on malaria prevention.

He said, “We developed this app because malaria is a major health problem in Ghana and many people die because they delay seeking treatment. The app will help users to detect malaria early and seek medical attention quickly. It also shows nearby health facilities. This is what we told Citi News during the exhibition.”

According to a statement from KNUST, the MalariaCheck app has been tested on over 1,000 users and has 90 percent accuracy in detecting malaria symptoms. The statement signed by the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, said the University is proud of the innovation by its students.

Professor Dickson in a statement reported by Graphic Online said KNUST has established an Innovation Centre to support students to develop technological solutions to societal problems. She said the University will patent the app and work with Ghana Health Service to improve it.

The Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Emmanuel Tenkorang, who was present at the exhibition, commended the students for the innovation. According to a report by Peace FM, Dr. Tenkorang said the app will complement efforts of Ghana Health Service to fight malaria in the Ashanti Region.

He said the Regional Health Directorate will collaborate with KNUST to pilot the app in selected health facilities in Kumasi, Asokwa and Oforikrom. He said the app can help reduce pressure on health facilities if widely adopted.

Some students and residents who tested the app have expressed happiness. Madam Akosua Frimpong, a second-year student at KNUST, told Ghana News Agency that she downloaded the app and found it very useful. She said the app advised her to visit hospital when she had fever and she was diagnosed with malaria.

Mr. Kofi Adjei, a resident at Ayigya near KNUST, said in an interview with Joy News that many people in his community do not go to hospital early when they have malaria because they think it is normal fever. He said the app will help such people to seek early treatment.

Another student, Ms. Yaa Asantewaa, who is studying Nursing at KNUST, told Ghana News Agency that the app is good but should be improved to include other diseases like typhoid fever and cholera. She said such app can help in rural areas where access to health facilities is difficult.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, advised students to continue innovating and developing solutions to Ghana’s challenges. She said KNUST in collaboration with Ghana News Agency and other media outlets will continue to promote science, technology and innovation among students.

The team leader, Mr. Kwabena Osei, said the team plans to add local languages including Twi to the app to enable more people to use it. He said they also plan to include a feature where users can talk to a doctor via video call for advice.

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