Harnessing health data science capacity to strengthen evidence-based interventions, policy and response to the HIV/aids epidemic in uganda (h-data)

The National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center awarded Makerere University College of Health Sciences $603,754 on September 15, 2025, under the D43 Fogarty HIV Research Training Program for Low- and Middle-Income Country Institutions (CFDA 93.989, International Research and Research Training) to establish health data science training capacity in Uganda.

The award funds development of a comprehensive training program, delivered in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco, to equip Ugandan research scientists and healthcare practitioners with advanced health data science skills for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and clinical management. The program includes PhD and Master's degree training in health data science alongside faculty development for mentorship capabilities. Specific curriculum components cover fundamentals of health data science, digital medicine, artificial intelligence, applied machine learning, statistical methods and data analysis, programming languages including Python, Java, and R, discrete mathematics, algorithms for health data science, data mining and visualization for healthcare, scientific writing, and grantsmanship. The training also strengthens trainee contributions to evidence-based decision-making through regular interactions with HIV policy makers and program implementers.

Performance occurs in Uganda over the period September 15, 2025, through March 31, 2030. The program leverages Uganda's longitudinal clinical HIV cohorts, diverse viral subtypes, and decentralized community-led antiretroviral delivery models to develop predictive models and machine learning algorithms applicable to HIV care retention challenges in hard-to-reach U.S. populations.

Abstract

This is an application for the D43: fogarty HIV research training program for low-and middle-income country institutions PAR-22-151. The proposed grant's goal is to leverage on the existing partnership between makerere university and university of california SAN francisco to equip ugandan scientists and healthcare practitioners with health data science practical skills to advance the use of data to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure HIV/aids in uganda. Cognizant of the fact that, the use of data science analytics in medicine is already generating new knowledge that is advancing prediction, performance and discovery in health, the training program aims to; (1) strengthen the scientific leadership and expertise needed for health data science research with increased focus on long term graduate (phdd and MSC) training in health data science. (2) train makchs faculty to enhance their capabilities for health data science research and mentorship of health data science trainees. (3) to strengthen trainee contributions to evidence-based decision making related to HIV prevention, care and treatment services through regular interactions with policy makers and HIV program implementers. The training program will consist of PHD, masters, and faculty trainees with specific short course trainings on fundamentals of health data science, digital medicine, introduction to artificial intelligence, applied machine learning, statistical methods & data analysis, BIO-python, programming with java, r & BIO-conductor, discrete mathematics, algorithms for health data science, data mining visualization for healthcare, scientific writing & grantsmanship.