Africa’s professionals are invited to apply for the Capacity Accelerator Network Data Science training, a three-month virtual workshop to build capacity and skills in working with and interpreting climate and health data.
Read the full Call for Expression of Interest and apply today.
The global climate crisis increasingly intersects with public health, and the need for innovative solutions has never been more urgent. Across Africa, public health officials, environmental analysts, and data scientists are working to address the region's most pressing challenges. Still, many face a critical barrier: the lack of capacity to turn data into actionable insights.
Why capacity building matters
In a bustling African city planning office, a senior environmental analyst is reviewing maps showing rising heat indices in urban areas. The data is there, but turning it into actionable insights to safeguard public health feels overwhelming. Across town, a public health official is grappling with unexplained surges in respiratory illnesses. Both know the challenges are interconnected, but the lack of expertise in merging climate and health data leaves them struggling to develop impactful solutions.
Africa’s professionals are on the frontlines of tackling challenges like the significant rise in vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue, linked to climate change. Weak or fragmented data systems hinder proactive climate adaptation and health resilience decision-making.
The complexity of these issues calls for targeted capacity-building initiatives that equip professionals with the skills to analyze, visualize, and act on the intersection of climate and health data.
A path forward
Closing this gap means more than technical training. It means fostering collaboration across sectors and building a network of professionals who can learn from and support one another. It’s about equipping decision-makers with the tools to transform data into impactful policies and empowering data scientists to deliver actionable insights for their communities.
Initiatives like the Africa Climate and Health Data Capacity Accelerator Network (CAN), an initiative by the Global Partnership, and data.org, funded by Wellcome Trust, are addressing this need. By offering a structured curriculum, hands-on learning, and a platform for peer-to-peer collaboration, CAN gives participants the tools they need to become leaders in this critical space. With every cohort, CAN organizes a transformative three-month workshop on Data Science for Climate and Health for professionals across disciplines. Cohort 3 training starts in February 2025, and you can learn more and apply here now.
Who is this training for?
The program is tailored for professionals who are interested in shaping policies and systems, including:
- Data scientists
- Public health officials
- Environmental analysts
- Senior statistics office managers (national, regional)
What participants will gain
This intensive three-month program, conducted by OpenUp, offers:
- Targeted training: A deep dive into climate-health data analysis, visualization, and machine learning applications.
- Applied learning: Hands-on use case development to address real challenges within your institution or community.
- Peer learning: Opportunities to collaborate with professionals across Africa, fostering knowledge exchange and innovation.
Take action now
Imagine the public health official turning data into a clear call for clean-air policies or the statistician refining national climate-health metrics for global advocacy. This is the transformative impact of CAN training, and it starts with you.
Read the full Call for Expression of Interest and apply today.
Together, we can empower Africa’s leaders to tackle climate and health challenges with data-driven precision.
