Welcome to ground breaking research and innovation as the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training, and Science in Africa ( DELTAS Africa II) takes off, igniting a revolution of science and development across the African continent. Launched with great anticipation on March 13, 2023, in the vibrant city of Nairobi, Kenya, DELTAS Africa II is an ambitious initiative set to reshape and drive impactful science for Africa’s future development.

DELTAS Africa II, is a continuing, multimillion dollar programme supporting collaborative consortia led by Africa-based scientists to strengthen Africa-led development of world-class research and scientific leaders on the continent. It is being implemented by the Science for Africa (SFA) Foundation, supported by the Wellcome Trust and the UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

The SSACAB consortium and 13 other exceptional grantees are amongst the select few that were recognized for their extraordinary potential and received the prestigious honour award of being a part of DELTAS Africa II scientific journey in Nairobi. Through merging science, policy, and practice, these remarkable 14 Grantees will drive Africa's progress, leading the charge towards improved health and development on the continent.

SSACAB-II’s mission is crystal clear: to forge a path towards biostatistical research excellence and address pressing health challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Fuelling this ambitious endeavour are seven cutting-edge biostatistical research questions (RQs), each poised to unlock new frontiers of knowledge and innovation in solving Africa’s pressing public health issues:

1. Revolutionizing health: How can machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms be used to enhance population-based prevention of, and personalised

treatment for, communicable and non-communicable diseases in Africa?

2. Unravelling nature's secrets: How will the spatial and temporal methods be used to support an understanding and response of the impact of climate variability

and change on human health and development in Africa?

3. Untangling the mesh: Can we identify the relationship between personal characteristics, environmental changes and diseases through causal modelling and

structural equational modelling?

4. The power of observations: How can we use observational data to assess interventions where clinical trials are unethical or to evaluate ongoing public health

interventions?

5. Filling the Gaps: What methods can be used to account for missing data in health research?

6. Embracing the data revolution: How can we use bioinformatics to enable laboratories and research institutions in Africa to analyse their own -omics data?

7. Synthesis of Excellence: What biostatistics methods can be used for data triangulation and synthesis of evidence?

"With immense pride, we start on the DELTAS Africa II journey by building on the successes of SSACAB I. Our unwavering commitment to biostatistical excellence has enabled us to create support structures for other DELTAS Africa Consortia, a legacy that will only grow stronger under the Science for Africa Foundation," said Prof. Tobias Chirwa, Programme Director of DELTAS Africa SSACAB II. "We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering support of the Science for Africa Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and for the trust they have place on us to deliver on our ambitious research objectives. Together, with the invaluable support of our partner and collaborating institutions, we will forge nodes of biostatistical excellence, propelling Africa to the forefront of machine learning and data science," Prof. Tobias Chirwa added.

The DELTAS Africa II platform promises to deliver ground breaking scientific research guided by the work of all the 14 Grantees incredible discoveries and game-changing advancements that will shape Africa's future. The time for change has arrived, and Africa is ready to lead the way!