DS-I Africa Meeting Pushes for Stronger Partnerships to Advance Health Outcomes

A gathering of leading researchers, innovators and policymakers at the University of Ghana’s Legon campus has called for deeper partnerships and collaboration to harness data science for improved health outcomes across Africa.

Convened under the theme “Data Science in Africa: Strengthening Partnerships and Collaboration across Networks, Sectors and Impact Areas,” the Data for Health and 5th Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa) Meeting was funded by the Wellcome Trust and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The meeting emphasised the critical role of data-driven innovation in building resilient health systems and addressing pressing health challenges on the continent.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Gordon Awandare, Pro Vice-Chancellor (ASA), reaffirmed the University’s commitment to impactful, technology-driven research aligned with DS-I Africa’s mission. 

He urged African governments to increase investment in health research amid declining global funding, stressing the importance of locally funded and African-led scientific ecosystems.

Heather Smith, Acting Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, highlighted the initiative’s achievements, including support for 38 projects in 22 countries, more than 200 publications, and the training of nearly 200 students in biomedical and data science.

Representing the Minister of Health, Dr. Wisdom Atiwoto, Director of Research, Statistics and Information Management, reiterated Ghana’s commitment to leveraging data science and digital technologies to transform healthcare delivery. He noted ongoing investments in health insurance, free care initiatives and reforms aimed at improving access and affordability.