From climate signals to public health action

Climate change is shifting disease patterns and stretching health systems, putting the health of millions of people at risk. Data is the thread that ties climate signals to public health action. Better data saves lives.

Since our founding, the Global Partnership has helped countries turn climate and health evidence into decisions by brokering partnerships, building skills, and embedding practical methods in public institutions. Our goal is simple and steady: make timely, local, and inclusive data the norm for resilience.

Over the past decade, we have evolved from crisis response to operational early warning and continent-wide capacity building. As we continue to work with partners to deliver the data skills and systems to protect vulnerable communities from the growing health threats of a changing climate, take a moment to look back on our collaborative achievements so far.

Community voices tell the story

mobile and stethoscope / Bermix studio: Unsplash

Citizen data at the heart of public health

A six-country scoping in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Vietnam brought into focus how citizen-generated and inclusive data can support infectious disease surveillance and response, spotlighting climate-sensitive threats.

A woman in colourful clothing / Delight Dzansi: Unsplash

Tackling Female Genital Mutilation with data

As part of the Make Inclusive Data the Norm initiative, Ghana is using citizen data to understand and address the persistent challenge of eradicating FGM, developing local referral pathways and district-level dashboards.

Kilifi Mothers Listening Group - Kenya / the Global Partnership

Data innovation to address AMR in Kenya

In an innovative initiative, we worked with local organizations and government partners in Kenya to leverage citizen data to generate and disseminate insights on antimicrobial resistance.

New data sources deliver fresh insights

Transforming carbon emission monitoring

CAN Fellow Agnes Okero applied her data science skills in a project with the Kenyan Bureau of Statistics to improve data accuracy for better carbon emission monitoring to inform environmental policy.

Health care professional holding ipad / Nappy: Unsplash

Machine learning for cholera interventions

As part of his CAN Fellowship, Ezekiel Adebayo Ogundepo worked with government partners in Nigeria to use machine learning to model the environmental and social factors that influence cholera outbreaks to help deliver informed public health interventions.

Suriname forest / Rineshkumar Ghirao: Unsplash

Mining's environmental impact in Suriname

Suriname is one of the greenest countries in the world, but artisanal and small-scale gold mining is driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. Building local skills in earth observation data has led to significant outcomes, including increased monitoring capacity, concrete environmental insights, and evidence-based policymaking.

Drinking water / Anderson Rian Klwak: Unsplash

Data delivers safer drinking water in Ghana

Accessing data from the Africa Regional Data Cube (now Digital Earth Africa) allowed Ghana’s Water Resources Commission to analyze water quality in the Weija Reservoir, delivering evidence needed for effective interventions to improve water quality.

Earth from above / Allison Saeng: Unsplash

Mexico's evidence-based earthquake response

Hours after Mexico’s earthquake in 2017, the Mexican Presidency asked the Global Partnership for help accessing satellite imagery map damage and prioritize relief, an early proof that fast, shareable geospatial data saves lives.

Building the skills and systems to catalyze change

Powering up climate and health data expertise

The first cohort of Africa Climate and Health Data Capacity Accelerator Network (CAN) included a 3-month training program and a 6-month fellowship with placements and peer-learning helping to build a network of data experts across the continent.

Data helps the water flow further in Paraguay

Paraguay's Water Information System (WIS) brings together data from many sources and institutions to provide an accurate and timely picture of water resources and quality in the country, helping to improve access with targeted water supply projects to the areas where they are most needed.

Peer exchange workshop / The Global Partnership

Neighborly advice for better data governance

In a two-day peer exchange, Kenya and Zanzibar’s Ministries of Health came together to compare and improve frameworks and practices on privacy, security, and the responsible use of digital health data.

Connected cables / Scott Rodgerson: Unsplash

Joining-up data for universal healthcare

Our work with local and international partners brought to life the Kenya Health Information Systems Interoperability Framework, joining up the country's health information systems to deliver streamlined health services that can help improve outcomes for all Kenyans.

Medical consultant in Nairobi / Elphas Ngugi for the Global Partnership

COVID-19 accelerates data partnerships

COVID-19 demanded quick innovation and deep collaboration. The need for real-time dashboards, mobility analyses, and rapid surveys was met thanks through data partnerships, with benefits spilling over to broader resilience efforts across Africa.