Center for Health Analytics and Systems Performance in Africa

Overview

The Center for Health Analytics in Africa is a center that aims to leverage the power of data and analytics to improve the health and well-being of African people. The center was established in 2022 by AEFID, in collaboration with other partners. The center provides data, analytics, and insights for health policies, programs, and practices in Africa. The center also facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, and best practices among the African health analytics stakeholders. The center covers four main thematic areas: health systems strengthening, health service delivery, health outcomes and impact, and health innovation and transformation. The center is in partnership with various centres in Africa.

What We Do

The Center for Health Analytics in Africa does the following:

Collect and manage health data:

The center collects and manages health data from various sources, such as health facilities, surveys, registries, and digital platforms. The center ensures the quality, reliability, and security of health data. The center also harmonizes and standardizes the health data to facilitate the analysis and comparison across countries and regions.

Analyze and visualize health data:

The center analyzes and visualizes the health data using various methods and tools, such as statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and geographic information systems. The center generates and presents health data insights, such as trends, patterns, correlations, and predictions, using dashboards, reports, maps, and charts.

Inform and support health decisions:

The center informs and supports health decisions by providing evidence-based and actionable recommendations for health policies, programs, and practices. The center also monitors and evaluates the implementation and impact of health decisions, using indicators, benchmarks, and feedback mechanisms.

Engage and collaborate with health stakeholders:

The center engages and collaborates with health stakeholders, such as policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and communities, to understand their needs and expectations, and to co-create and co-deliver health data solutions. The center also organizes and participates in health data events, such as workshops, webinars, and publications.

Why We Do It

The Center for Health Analytics in Africa does it because:

Health data is essential for health improvement: Health data is the foundation for health improvement, as it provides the information and evidence for health planning, implementation, and evaluation. Health data can help identify health problems and opportunities, measure health performance and progress, and guide health actions and interventions.

Health data is challenging for Africa: Health data is challenging for Africa, as it faces issues such as data scarcity, data quality, data fragmentation, data accessibility, and data utilization. These issues limit the availability and usability of health data for health improvement in Africa.

Health data is promising for Africa: Health data is promising for Africa, as it offers opportunities such as data abundance, data innovation, data integration, data democratization, and data transformation. These opportunities can enhance the potential and impact of health data for health improvement in Africa.

How We Do It

The Center for Health Analytics in Africa does it because:

Using a health systems approach:

The center uses a health systems approach, which considers the health system, rather than its individual components. The center recognizes the interdependence and interrelation of the health system elements, such as governance, financing, human resources, information, service delivery, and medical products. The center also acknowledges the complexity and diversity of the health system contexts, such as political, economic, social, and cultural factors.

Applying a data-driven culture:

The center applies a data-driven culture, which values and prioritizes the use of data for health improvement. The center fosters a data-driven mindset, which embraces data as a strategic asset and a source of learning and innovation. The center also promotes a data-driven practice, which integrates data into the health processes and outcomes.

Adopting a user-centric design:

The center adopts a user-centric design, which focuses on the needs and expectations of the health data users and beneficiaries. The center employs a user-centric process, which involves the users and beneficiaries throughout the health data cycle, from data collection to data utilization. The center also delivers a user-centric product, which provides the users and beneficiaries with relevant, timely, and actionable health data insights.

Vision & Mission

Vision

To be a leading center of excellence in health data and analytics for Africa, enabling better health and well-being for all.

Mission

To provide data, analytics, and insights for health policies, programs, and practices in Africa, through collaboration, innovation, and engagement.

Aims

The aims of the Center for Health Analytics in Africa are to:

  • Leverage the power of data and analytics to improve the health and well-being of African people.
  • Provide data, analytics, and insights for health policies, programs, and practices in Africa.
  • Facilitate the sharing of knowledge, experience, and best practices among the African health analytics stakeholders.

Objectives

The objectives of the Center for Health Analytics in Africa are to:

  • Collect and manage health data from various sources, ensuring the quality, reliability, and security of the data.
  • Analyze and visualize health data using various methods and tools, generating and presenting health data insights.
  • Inform and support health decisions by providing evidence-based and actionable recommendations for health policies, programs, and practices.
  • Engage and collaborate with health stakeholders, such as policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and communities, to understand their needs and expectations, and to co-create and co-deliver health data solutions.
  • Organize and participate in health data events, such as workshops, webinars, and publications, to inform, educate, and engage the public and the stakeholders on the issues and opportunities of health data in Africa.
  • Conduct and support research and innovation in the field of health data and analytics, to improve the understanding and management of health data in Africa.

Governance:

The Center for Health Analytics in Africa is governed by a board of directors, which is responsible for setting the strategic direction, overseeing the performance, and ensuring the accountability of the center. The board consists of representatives from AEF, AEFID, and other development partners. The board meets at least four times a year and operates according to the terms of reference and the code of conduct established by AEFID.

The board delegates the day-to-day management and operation of the center to the executive director, who is appointed by the board and reports to the board. The executive director leads and manages a team of staff, consultants, and volunteers who work on the various activities and projects of the centre. The executive director also liaises and coordinates with the health stakeholders, such as policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and communities, who are involved in or benefit from the center’s work.

The center has an advisory committee, which provides independent and expert advice and guidance to the board and the executive director on the technical and strategic aspects of the center’s work. The advisory committee consists of eminent and experienced individuals from various fields and sectors related to health data and analytics. The advisory committee meets at least twice a year and operates according to the terms of reference and the code of conduct established by AEFID.

The center adheres to the principles and standards of good governance, such as accountability, transparency, integrity, stewardship, efficiency, and leadership. The center follows the policies and procedures of AEFID, as well as the relevant laws and regulations of the countries and regions where it operates. The center also conducts regular audits and evaluations of its activities and projects, and reports on its achievements and challenges to the board, the partners, and the public.