Published: June 1, 2026
A growing network of African scientists is using data, mathematics, and public health research to tackle some of the continent’s most pressing health challenges affecting women.
Researchers from across Africa recently gathered in Nairobi for the third African Modelling and Analytics Academy for Women (AMAX) Summer School, a two-week programme focused on strengthening Africa’s ability to make health decisions using evidence, data analysis, and predictive modelling. The initiative brings together researchers, health institutions, and policymakers with a shared goal of building local solutions for local health challenges.
Hosted by the University of Nairobi’s Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) in partnership with Tunisia’s Pasteur Institute, the programme attracted scientists from Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal, Niger, Uganda, and Tunisia. Support for the initiative comes through the Gates Foundation’s Gender Data Equity programme, which seeks to address long-standing gaps in women’s health research and representation within health data systems.
Across Africa, health officials continue to face complex challenges ranging from infectious disease outbreaks to rising antimicrobial resistance. Yet in many countries, public health systems still operate with limited resources and insufficient local modelling expertise. Researchers involved in AMAX believe stronger analytical capacity could help governments respond faster and more effectively when health emergencies emerge.
The lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of mathematical modelling in shaping public health responses. Scientists say modelling allows governments to anticipate disease spread, estimate healthcare demands, identify vulnerable populations, and evaluate the likely impact of interventions before crises escalate.
AMAX was created to help close a critical gap. Women’s health issues are frequently underrepresented in datasets used for public health planning, making it harder for policymakers to design interventions that accurately reflect the realities women face across the continent. By combining epidemiology, economics, statistics, and data science, the initiative aims to improve both the quality of evidence and the quality of decisions being made.
The programme focuses on several major health concerns that continue to affect women and vulnerable communities, including human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance, and schistosomiasis. Researchers are developing models that can help governments evaluate vaccination programmes, improve disease surveillance, allocate resources more efficiently, and design more equitable health policies.
One example comes from Kenya, where PhD researcher Joy Kalekye worked alongside Senegal’s Ministry of Health to examine strategies for controlling schistosomiasis. Her findings suggested that including children under the age of five in treatment programmes could significantly strengthen disease control efforts. The research also recommended aligning national plans with updated World Health Organization guidelines to accelerate elimination targets.
In Tunisia, researchers have been applying similar approaches to HPV, hepatitis B, COVID-19, and antimicrobial resistance. Their work explores how different vaccination and screening strategies affect both health outcomes and national healthcare budgets. By measuring costs alongside public health benefits, policymakers are better positioned to choose interventions that are both effective and financially sustainable.
The collaboration has also expanded beyond individual projects. Researchers from Senegal and Tunisia recently adapted HPV modelling frameworks to fit Senegal’s healthcare and financing landscape at a time when the country is preparing for reduced vaccine funding support. The study provided evidence that could guide future health investments while demonstrating how research developed in one African country can be successfully adapted in another.
Health experts say Africa’s modelling expertise is growing steadily, but major disparities remain between countries. Some institutions have established research programmes and strong analytical capacity, while others continue to face significant gaps despite carrying a heavy burden of disease. Initiatives such as AMAX are designed to bridge those differences through training, mentorship, and collaboration across regions.
Participants at the Nairobi summer school spent the past two weeks working through practical case studies, policy simulations, lectures, and health-focused hackathons. The training was designed around real challenges faced by ministries of health, ensuring that scientific models remain grounded in practical decision-making rather than academic theory alone.
Beyond the classroom, the broader ambition is far-reaching. Researchers involved in the programme envision a future where African countries generate more of their own evidence, train more of their own specialists, and develop health policies built around African realities rather than imported assumptions.
That shift is already beginning to take shape. A new generation of scientists is emerging across the continent, equipped with the technical skills to analyse complex health data and the local knowledge needed to turn that evidence into policies that can improve lives.
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