Project description
New training of African epidemiologists
The 2021 WHO Disease Outlook for Africa identified crucial skill shortages in big data, AI-driven disease analysis, and predictive analytics. The EU-funded AFRITRAC project aims to train epidemiologists and infectious disease modellers across eight sub-Saharan African countries most affected by disease outbreaks. It will bring together academic and public health institutions from central, eastern, and western Africa. Four of the participating universities already offer graduate programmes in biostatistics and epidemiology. The project will standardise the epidemiology curriculum and facilitate mobility between French- and English-speaking countries. Participants will develop communication skills and community engagement abilities. This initiative supports the Africa CDC 2023-2027 strategic plan and addresses the shortage of over 4 000 field epidemiologists.
Objective
The 2021 WHO disease outlook for Africa highlighted critical skill shortages in big data handling, AI-driven disease analysis, and predictive analytics. In response, we have established the African Training Network for Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Infectious Diseases Modelling (AFRITRAC) to bridge these gaps. AFRITRAC brings together leading academic and public health institutions across Central, East and West Africa, supported by the University of St Andrews, the UK’s 3rd oldest with top school of Mathematics and Statistics. Our interdisciplinary faculty including epidemiologists, biostatisticians, mathematical modellers and behavioural scientists will train 28 (10 masters- and 18 modelling- fellows) well-rounded epidemiologists and infectious disease modellers across eight Sub-Saharan countries most affected by disease outbreaks. There are eight SSA universities in our consortium, four of which have existing biostatistics and epidemiology masters programmes and will offer the training whilst the remaining four will be mentored to develop the same programmes. This will ensure sustained production of these specialists to realise the needed number beyond this project's lifespan. Working with participating universities, we will seek to harmonise and standardise epidemiology training curriculum. Our consortium is purposely constituted to offer intra-African mobility between French and English-speaking countries. Besides technical training, our trainees will be empowered with soft skills of communication (learning either French or English) and community engagement. With these skills, our graduates will be able to work beyond their national borders and be of great value to Africa at large. This initiative aligns with the Africa CDC 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, addressing workforce shortages, including a deficit of over 4,000 field epidemiologists. Investing in Africa’s young population is key to achieving the Agenda 2063 vision: “The Africa We Want.”
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health epidemiology
- natural sciences computer and information sciences data science big data
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases
- social sciences economics and business business and management employment
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.2.1 - Health
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-JU-CSA - HORIZON JU Coordination and Support Actions
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2025-02-two-stage
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
2593 HW Den Haag
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.