Past Events

[African Academy of Sciences Link]

The DELTAS Africa health research leadership capacity development programme will convene its Third Annual Grantees Meeting and Scientific Conference from July 15-18 2019 at the King Fadh Hotel in Dakar, Senegal. The Conference will provide a platform for DELTAS Africa Fellows and researchers at the Masters, Doctoral, Post-Doctoral and Senior Research Fellowship levels to present findings of current research.

The meeting will be attended by participants from the broad DELTAS Africa research community, partner institutions, DELTAS funding institutions and other invited guests. Findings will be shared through oral and poster presentations of original research work and findings, plenary talks and symposia, and Conference Proceedings will be published in AAS Open Research.

Contributions

Both conceptual and domain-specific abstracts are invited from DELTAS Africa Fellows, Principal Investigators and affiliated scientists and researchers, as well as from research partners, from across DELTAS Africa thematic areas, including but not limited to:

  • Bioinformatics
  • Biostatistics
  • Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens
  • Community and Public Engagement
  • DELTAS Learning and Research
  • Gender and Diversity
  • Health Research Policy
  • Health Research Systems
  • Infection, Immunity and Immunology
  • Malaria Eradication and Genomics
  • Maternal and Neonatal Health
  • Mental Health
  • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Neglected Tropical Diseases
  • Non-Communicable Disease
  • ONE Health
  • Planetary health
  • Population Health
  • Programme Risk Management
  • Research Consortia Management
  • Research systems and management
  • Supervision and Mentorship in Health Research
  • TB and HIV

Papers with new findings, papers in submission and already published papers are eligible. Selected papers will be invited for oral and poster presentations. All Papers will be published as conference proceedings in AAS Open Research.

Schedule and Deadlines

Abstract Format Requirements

Scientific abstracts including a non-technical or lay summary for non-technical audience may be submitted through https://aasishango.ccgranttracker.com/

Title

The complete title should be brief and clearly indicate the content.

Authors

Initials and surnames for every author must be provided. Do not include degrees or titles. The name of the presenting author should be underlined. An author’s name appearing on more than one abstract must be identical in each case.

Affiliations

Institutional affiliations must be provided under authors’ names. Each author must be listed by institution, city, state/province and country. Do not include department, division, laboratory, etc. In abstracts where the authors have different affiliations, please indicate for each author the number of the corresponding affiliation.

Scientific Abstract

Abstracts will be reproduced exactly as submitted and will not be edited. Abbreviations should be standard and kept to a minimum. Spell out unusual abbreviations or acronyms in parentheses after first use. Do NOT identify author(s) or institution(s) in the text.

Make the abstract as informative as possible. Organise the body of the abstract as follows:

  • Objectives
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Conclusions

Non-technical or lay abstract

Use simple and non-technical language to communicate your research summary to people who do not have prior knowledge about the subject.

For further information or inquires, contact: Dr Alphonsus Neba at a.neba@aasciences.ac.ke

IBSUSAN 2019 Link

The Biostatistics Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council http://ibssusan2019.samrc.ac.za/ is pleased to invite you to attend the Joint Conference of the Sub-Saharan Network (SUSAN) of the International Biometrics Society (IBS) and DELTAS Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB) training programme in Cape Town, South Africa from the 8th - 11th of September 2019.

The conference program will cover a wide range of classical and Bayesian statistical theory and methods, their application to public health, epidemiology, environment, biology, fisheries, official health statistics and stakeholder engagements.

Important Dates

Early Registration

1 April - 30 June 2019

http://ibssusan2019.samrc.ac.za/registration.html

Late Registration

1 July - 31 August 2019

http://ibssusan2019.samrc.ac.za/registration.html

Abstract Submission

12 February - 30 April 2019

http://ibssusan2019.samrc.ac.za/abstracts.html

Abstract Review

1 May - 31 May 2019

Abstract Notification

10 June 2019

Conference Registration

1 April - 31 August 2019

http://ibssusan2019.samrc.ac.za/registration.html

8-11 September 2019 the joint conference of the of the Sub-Saharan Network (SUSAN) of the International Biometrics Society (IBS) and DELTAS Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB) took place at the South African Medical Research Council in Cape Town. The conference was attended by about 190 delegates from various biostatistical networks with the majority coming from the DELTAS Africa SSACAB Consortium’s MSc and PhD Fellows. The conference program covered a wide range of classical and Bayesian statistical theory and their application to public health, health statistics and stakeholder engagements and offered a platform for junior SSACAB researchers to showcase their research and engage in networking and skills-based workshops with African and international scholars. Three DELTAS Africa SSACAB MSc and PhD Fellows scooped prizes for the posters and oral presentations at the joint conference. Two PhD Fellows Mr. Collins Okoyo and Ms. Susan Gachau from the Kenya Wellcome Trust Research Programme and registered with the University of Nairobi had a tie in the Second prize for the best Oral presentation. Their presentation titles were “Mathematical Modeling of the Interruption of the Transmission of Soil Transmitted Helminths Infections in Kenya” and “Multiple imputation of clinician-level covariates applied in modelling quality of clinician-prescribed care: Sensitivity analysis of departure from Missing at Random (MAR) assumption” respectively. For the Posters, Mr Qondeni Ndlangamandla from the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science won the First prize for his Poster presentation. His presentation was titled ”Modeling Anemia in Children under five in Tanzania and Angola.” The Fellows were commended for their hard work and using innovative biostatistical techniques in their research.

The subsequent Annual General Meeting of SSACAB highlighted the impact of the African Academy of Sciences/ AESA Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training, and Science (DELTAS) Africa initiative for the development of accredited Master level teaching programs in Biostatistics in Sub-Saharan Africa, development of a cadre of PhD level statisticians and the opportunities for online learning opportunities.

We are thrilled to invite local Johannesburg high school learners passionate about sciences, undergrads studying mathematics, statistics, actuarial sciences and various health fields in Wits University to engage with Principal Biostatisticians about the fascinating field of biostatistics.


At the event on 1 February 2024, in the School of Public Health Auditorium from 09h00-11h00 we want to raise awareness to the invited high school learners and undergrad students that a career in biostatistics at the post graduate level is attractive and rewarding!


At DELTASAfrica SSACAB II we are dedicated to nurturing and creating a career pathway for future African Biostatistics Research Leaders, from MSc to PhD to Post Doctoral levels. We equip our future leaders with cutting-edge biostatistical methodologies to improve health outcomes across the Sub-Saharan African continent and beyond.


October 17th, 2023, Nairobi, Kenya, African institutions, including two northern partners, jointly launched the second phase of the Sub-Saharan African Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB II) training programme. The consortium aims to drive biostatistical research excellence to enable robust health systems and interventions that culminate in better health outcomes on the continent.

Biostatistics plays a crucial role in the field of public health and biomedical research. Its main purpose is to analyse and interpret data related to living organisms and health. By applying biostatistical methods to biological and health-related data, biostatisticians help researchers draw meaningful conclusions, identify patterns, and make informed policy decisions. Biostatistics is used to study the distribution of diseases, analyse risk factors, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

However, despite its paramount significance in shaping public health policies in Africa, the continent grapples with a critical shortfall marked by a scarcity of biostatisticians and inadequately equipped facilities. This scarcity has cast a shadow over the formulation and execution of health policies on the African continent. Furthermore, the migration of biostatisticians to sectors like finance, insurance, and energy, where the demand for statistical expertise is robust, exacerbates the capacity challenges within the health sector.

The DELTAS Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB II) programme is part of the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training, and Science in Africa (DELTAS Africa) initiative, which supports African-led research and scientific leadership to address health and development challenges on the continent. The programme is implemented by the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) with support from Wellcome and the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Leadership & Partners

Tobias Chirwa, the Director of SSACAB, Associate Professor and Head of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, School of Public Health is one of the 14 world class research leaders in Africa that was funded to drive locally relevant health research. With US$4.4M on, DELTAS Africa SSACAB II will build biostatistical research excellence in Sub-Saharan Africa through regional hubs and contribution towards policy development to improve population health. SSACAB II will contribute relevant policy advice in communicable and non- communicable diseases, such as HIV, TB, malaria and COVID-19, and mental health and Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health using seven biostatistical research questions.

The DELTAS Africa SSACAB II Consortium (2023- 2027) is made up of African partners which are : Prof. Romain Glele Kakai -University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin (UA-C), Prof. Samson Kinyanjui - KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya (KWTRP), Prof. Samuel Manda -University of Pretoria, South Africa (UP) with the South Africa Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Prof. Henry Mwambi - University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (UKZN) and Prof. Ann Mwangi of Moi University, Kenya, and Northern Partners. The northern partners are: Prof. Jim Todd -London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom (LSHTM), and Prof. Daniel Orbeski-University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands (UMCU Utrecht).

"The DELTAS Africa SSACAB II programme stands as a collaborative beacon, uniting African and Northern partner institutions in a dedicated effort to elevate biostatistical skills across the African region. With a robust biostatistical network, SSACAB is creating a career pathway for researchers armed with advanced biostatistical skills, and fostering expertise that spans the Sub-Saharan African continent. SSACAB's impact resonates through provision of training, data analysis, and invaluable support to other DELTAS Africa consortia. It is not just about numbers; it is about cultivating professional research environments, strengthening training, fostering mentorship, collaborating with policymakers and community stakeholders, to ultimately produce world-class biostatistical research to answer pressing public health challenges that Africa is facing. SSACAB is not just an initiative; it is a transformative force in the realm of biostatistics and public health," says Prof. Tobias Chirwa.

DELTAS Africa SSACAB II programme has developed seven biostatistical research questions (RQ) relating to urgent health needs in Sub-Saharan Africa:

The Lead Institution, Wits University leads research in machine learning and planetary health. They partner with UMCU, Utrecht in exploring Artificial Intelligence for disease prevention and personalized treatment in Africa with Wits Global Change Institute (GCI). Climate change is already putting public health in SSA under severe pressure. Understanding the direct, indirect and combined consequences of increased climate variability and changes on malnutrition, infectious diseases and susceptibility to communicable diseases is essential for designing programs to minimise the health risks of climate variability and change. They will also investigate patterns of critical diseases in Africa and how they respond to predicted climate and environmental changes impact on public health and development outcomes. Wits University and UMCU, Utrecht, will establish a machine learning training hub aimed at biostatisticians, informaticians and public health professionals to address these research themes.

UA-C will lead the research aimed at understanding the association between individual characteristics, environmental shifts, and the beginning of diseases in people. They will identify underlying causes of disease outbreaks, especially global or large-scale epidemics, and provide evidence for prevention and control. Moi University, takes the lead in exploring the analysis of observational data in public health situations where conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is not practical. Clinical trials are the gold standard for many treatments and prevention interventions. However, ethical issues arise when these interventions have already been used. Other ways of designing studies and analysing counterfactuals are therefore needed. Observational studies offer an alternative but threats to their validity and suitability in decision making requires caution. Focus will be on methods to address the principal concern in observational studies which are a potential for bias. UKZN leads on missing data, addressing methods for health research with incomplete data. Data generated from health research studies in Africa are often faced with missing information. Inferior methods have been used which are known to create biased information. UKZN will focus on the development, evaluation, and promotion of standard, flexible, methods that are valid under missing at random mechanism.

KWTRP leads the bioinformatics theme for -omics data analysis and will investigate big data related to a specific health issue prevalent in the region thereby contributing valuable insights for designing targeted interventions or personalized healthcare strategies for communicable and non-communicable diseases at the molecular level.

UP and SAMRC will lead data triangulation and evidence synthesis and will develop biostatistical methods in this theme. SSA has generated health data that cut across the identified health challenges, but these diverse data have often not been used to provide effective solutions for health programs, policies and implementation. This research will apply and develop biostatistical methods including theory of triangulations and innovative meta-analyses.

LSHTM and UMCU, the two northern partners will offer support, senior statistical advice and co- supervision of fellows across all themes.

DELTAS Africa SSACAB II follows an initial five-year successful programme. The success of the initial phase (2015-2022) included, for example, increased research and training for both faculty and postgraduate students in nine African Universities and creating standardized biostatistical courses and a pipeline for training from Masters, PhD to Post-Doctoral training.

“In this second phase, SSACAB II will apply for additional accreditation of our biostatistics courses under the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) accreditation scheme. The accreditation of our courses provides external validation to the wider world and gives the students confidence that what they learn is of world class quality. This will drive the quality of courses throughout Sub-Saharan Africa exposing lecturers and institutions to the international systems for degree recognition,” says Prof. Jim Todd, LSHTM Northern Partner and Executive Committee Member of the DELTAS Africa SSACAB Consortium.

In the first phase of the programme the consortium increased collaboration with policymakers, community stakeholders and international statistical societies.

“Our SSACAB staff and fellows are part of and linked to statistical societies and networks both locally and internationally such as the South African Statistical Association (SASA), the Sub-Saharan Africa Network (SUSAN) of the International Biometric Society (IBS) and others. Through such interactions and during scientific meetings and conferences we have been able to share research findings with policymakers and community stakeholders,” says Prof. Henry Mwambi, UKZN Partner Lead and Executive Committee member of the DELTAS Africa SSACAB II Programme. DELTAS Africa SSACAB I fellows have contributed to Africa’s scientific quality and productivity, the first phase of the programme boasts the production of over 65 peer reviewed journal articles focusing on various public health challenges. Some of these fellows who published this impactful work through their MSc and PhD research won several prizes for scientific excellence. This commitment has led to the strengthening of biostatistical research capacity and information for evidence-based policy decision making for the betterment of Africa’s public health.

“SSACAB is committed to training and supporting ambitious research fellows across Africa who are able to undertake biostatistical research that tackles some of the most pressing health challenges. We are pleased to be working with the SFA Foundation, FCDO, UK and Wellcome to support high-quality, biostatistical research excellence for Africa’s development,” said Prof. Eustasius Musenge Co-Director of SSACAB II programme and Associate Professor at Wits School of Public Health.

SSACAB I also used the DELTAS Africa platform to apply successfully for additional grants. The total extra grant funding of $1.5M was received from GlaxoSmithKline Research & Development, NIH D43 grants in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Maryland to train additional MSc and PhD fellows in various areas affecting public health in Africa.

We are thrilled to announce that the DELTAS Africa SSACAB II programme has been featured in the prestigious Wits Health Sciences Faculty Research Review newsletter! To read the full article click the link below:

Article link


Advancing Biostatistics in Sub Saharan Africa: Harnessing AI, Data Science, and Community Engagement for Impactful Science with Science for Africa Foundation

On Friday 30 June 2023, Science for Africa Foundation’s Dr. Alphonsus Neba, Dr. Uzma Alam and Ms. Lilian Mutengu visited the DELTAS Africa SSACAB programme based at the Wits School of Public Health, Johannesburg. During this visit, we engaged in fruitful discussions concerning project plans for Community Public Engagement for Biostatistics. Furthermore, we explored the crucial role of AI and data science as part of the SPEAR programme.

“It is great that SSACAB II has funding for CPE activities and that the programme will be able to advocate and push forward the importance of engagement and influence the practice of researchers and other stakeholders. Biostatistics work will contribute to developing a resilient research ecosystem based on quality and ethical engagement activities,” Ms. Mutengu emphasised at the meeting.

Additionally, we took the opportunity to update SFA on the SSACAB II Inception plans and discussed related support needs. We are excited about the progress and potential of these initiatives and are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Science for Africa Foundation.

Together, we aim to drive advancements in biostatistics, harness the power of AI and data science, and foster meaningful community engagement for impactful science in Sub Saharan Africa!


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

  2. treatment for, communicable and non-communicable diseases in Africa?
  3. 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

  4. and change on human health and development in Africa?
  5. Untangling the mesh: Can we identify the relationship between personal characteristics, environmental changes and diseases through causal modelling and

  6. structural equational modelling?
  7. The power of observations: How can we use observational data to assess interventions where clinical trials are unethical or to evaluate ongoing public health

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

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

  11. 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!

  • Upcoming workshop Machine Learning at Wits School of Public Health, Johannesburg, South Africa from 4-8 November 2019(Application) (Pamphlet)
  • SSACAB Partner Training Institution UKZN Methodology Enhancement Workshop by Prof Andreas Ziegler from 11- 13 November 2019, Pietermaritzburg Campus, Durban, South Africa(Download)
  • SSACAB teaching Biostatistics Courses at the Malaria Research Capacity Development (MARCAD) Consortium in West and Central Africa, Cameroon (Download)
  • The India Alliance Annual Fellows Meeting will be held from June 13 to June 15, 2019 at ITC Windsor, Bengaluru.
  • The African Academy of Sciences DELTAS Africa Scientific Conference will be held from 15 to 18 July2019 in Dakar, Senegal.
  • The joint Sub-Saharan Africa Network (SUSAN) of International Biometrics Society (IBS) and DELTAS Africa Sub-Saharan African Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB) Scientific Conference will be held from 8 to 11 September 2019 at the state-of-the-art conference facilities of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) in Cape Town, South Africa.
  • The SSACAB Annual General Meeting (AGM), Executive Committee Meeting and the Technical Advisory Group Meeting will be held from 12 to 14 September 2019 at the state-of-the-art conference facilities of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) in Cape Town, South Africa.
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