Enhancing integrated research and healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa through digital innovation and Artificial Intelligence

Scope

The proposals submitted under this topic should address the following points:

1. Strengthen health systems, capacity and partnership to enhance the development and use of existing and new digital health records and tools, leveraging machine learning and AI, aiming to prevent, detect or treat infectious diseases in the scope of Global Health EDCTP3 in SSA, enabling health care workers, government, and policy makers to make informed clinical decisions or implement well-informed epidemic preparedness measures. Proposals should favour low-risk digital/AI approaches.
2. Strengthen national and regional efforts across SSA with concrete demonstration of scale up of validated digital technologies for implementation at national or sub-regional level, and to align digital health strategies with applicable international best practices.
3. Improved coordination between stakeholders promoting collaborative platforms and partnerships sharing data and knowledge between regions/countries in SSA and ideally with global partners.

Proposals should include sharing of knowledge between countries with advanced systems and those that have lower capacity in terms of digital tools and skills. Proposals should also use applicable international standards for data use and governance including data privacy and data ownership.

Proposals should consider addressing the societal impact and acceptability of the approach by the populations concerned and should demonstrate compliance with applicable ethics requirements for the use of digital technologies in involved SSA countries.

Proposals should address the audit of the bias of the AI system and address the sustainability of the project outcome beyond the project duration.

Proposals are encouraged to consider expansion of robust, user-friendly digital platforms to grow with the regional needs to reach a broad population of patients, health care workers, government, and policy makers.

Proposals should also ensure equity across involved countries in SSA and in relation to other countries where similar technologies are being developed and/or implemented.

Proposals should look into supporting national and regional (supranational) efforts to align digital health strategies with international best practices. Proposals are encouraged to include the sharing of knowledge between countries with advanced systems and less experienced countries having basic digital infrastructure.

Proposals are encouraged to include hands-on practical capacity-building activities preparing institutions and professionals to lead digital transformation efforts as well as digital health policy dialogues.

The applicants are also encouraged to align with the WHO AFRO and Africa CDC strategies for digital health.

Proposals should include a clear plan for how digital tools will be made accessible and affordable to users. Outcomes should be shared publicly, when possible, especially if they serve the public good or have broad regional relevance.

Proposals should engage communities and relevant stakeholders, most notably (local) key opinion leaders, researchers or clinical Investigators, health care professionals, policy makers, public health authorities and end-users. Applicants should provide methodologies for translating research findings into public health practice and policy guidelines and are encouraged to follow guidance provided in the EDCTP Knowledge Hub Research into Policy Toolkit.

Where possible, collaboration and coordination with the AU-EU Health Partnership’s Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, medicines and health technologies (MAV+) hub or similar African initiatives is encouraged. The applicants could show, for example, willingness to enter into technology transfer agreements with their counterparts - including the provision of patents, technical knowledge and know-how, or early engagement with regulators or with African manufacturers to support the translation into affordable products adapted to the regional market.

Applicants are reminded of the expectation that proposals should come from research consortia with a strong representation of institutions and researchers from SSA countries, including active participation of Franco/Lusophone countries, if possible. Collaboration with other international research groups with relevant experience is very much encouraged. Applicants are also reminded of the expectation of reaching out to institutions/organisations in countries with high disease burden but with relatively lower research capacities.

Expected Impact

The actions funded under this topic should contribute to strengthening clinical human capital base in R&I, enhancing talent retention, knowledge sharing of best practices within the research and innovation landscape, accelerate integration of digital tools into health systems, expand and scale up validated innovations with tangible implementation at national and/or sub-regional levels.

Applicant consortium

If requested by the applicant consortia, the EDCTP Association may offer technical support for the preparation of their proposal, in particular because of the lump sum nature of the Grant Agreement. The applicant consortia may also decide to include the EDCTP Association as coordinator. In that case, the applicant consortia should contact the EDCTP Association to obtain the estimated amount of the Association’s contribution as well as any other relevant information. The EDCTP Association will timely provide the necessary information to all potential applicants.