SACEMA invites Africans passionate about public health to apply for the 2025 Policy Modelling Fellowship cohort. We seek individuals with experience in a quantitative field that have established working relationships with Ministry of Health decision makers in their country, as well as access to measles or polio vaccine and incidence data.

Click here for more information on the fellowships and the application process.

The focus of this high-impact meeting was on establishing a resilient partnership between NeoNET AFRICA and Africa CDC to drive initiatives critical to neonatal sepsis management. Priority areas include improving clinical practices, conducting applied research, leveraging data for public health decisions, and enhancing bacterial isolate biobanking. Moreover, capacity building and training were recognized as pivotal to creating sustainable advancements in this field. 

Strategic discussions centred on the role of clinical metadata and genomic data in improving sepsis surveillance and treatment outcomes for newborns across Africa. The outcome of this partnership is a robust roadmap aimed at transforming neonatal sepsis care on the continent, fostering collaboration and innovation to support long-term improvements in neonatal health. 

With this partnership, NeoNET AFRICA and Africa CDC are paving the way for a healthier future for Africa’s neonates, establishing sustainable health systems to reduce neonatal mortality from sepsis. 

As we lead up to World AMR Awareness Week, check out Africa CDC’s story: New Guidance Sets Path to Strengthen AMR Surveillance. 

Front row from left: Kirsty Gray, Charlene Rodrigues, Adrie Bekker (NeoNET AFRICA), Francis Chikuse (Africa CDC).

Back row from left: Larisse Bolton (SACEMA), Andrew Whitelaw, Felicity Fitzgerald, Angela Dramowski (NeoNET AFRICA)

 

We invite our partners, students, and colleagues to celebrate this achievement with us as we look forward to the next 5 years, continuing to drive impactful research.

A big thank you to our partners and supporters who make this success possible!  

Learn more about our projects: sacema.org 

ASSAf, the official science academy in South Africa, selects new members each year from various scholarly fields based on outstanding academic achievements and contributions to society. Frank’s passion for the African continent and his commitment to addressing its health challenges is evident. His induction into ASSAf is a testament to his dedication to improving public health through research and collaboration, with a focus on HIV prevention and treatment efforts in sub-Saharan Africa.

Stay updated on our latest developments and innovations by following us on LinkedIn.

Through collaboration with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, results from our polio modelling work offer public health decision-makers more comprehensive insights to determine outbreak risks and evaluate vaccine program performance. 

SACEMA’s Modelling and Analytics Response Team (SMART) developed a method to estimate population immunity to poliovirus, addressing concerns raised by the World Health Organization on the validity of using zero-dose children (ZDC) as a metric for susceptibility. 

This map shows that, by the end of 2022, susceptibility to poliovirus type 2 among children under five varied widely across districts, ranging from as high as 30% in some districts to as low as 2% in others. Image: Vaccine. 

Further work is being done to expand this project, including extending this method to older age groups and other poliovirus serotypes.  

Our polio modelling research focuses on: 

• Identifying high-risk regions in South Africa for poliovirus outbreaks 

• Optimising wastewater surveillance for early polio detection 

• Modelling susceptibility changes if oral polio vaccines had been phased out earlier 

If you’ve got a a strong background in quantitative sciences, and are interested in a polio modelling project as part of a masters degree, SACEMA is offering scholarships for full-time study at Stellenbosch University.

Click here for application details. The application deadline is 31 October 2024. 

Stay connected for the latest updates by following us on LinkedIn. 

Jeremy states: “The IDM symposium is a very well organised gathering, with some of the best talks I have had the privilege of attending. While the focus pathogens and topics vary widely, there is a general theme of policy-relevant research. I would strongly recommend that others apply to attend future IDM symposiums (the next one is expected to be held in 2026), for the chance to be exposed to research at the very top of a variety of sub-fields.” 

Around the corner from the foundation is a stunning 10km track around Lake Union.

This Wellcome Trust funded project led by Dr Collins Iwuji at the Africa Health Research Institute will measure the impact of extreme weather events on the mental health of vulnerable populations in Africa. The goal of this initiative is to highlight the direct impact of extreme weather events on the development of common mental disorders in vulnerable populations across Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa. The team has built on existing partnerships and formed new collaborations to create a transdisciplinary group, including community members, climate scientists, psychiatrists, epidemiologists, and social scientists. Using both existing and new data, they aim to generate evidence that advocates for policies integrating adaptation strategies with community mental health care. By collaborating with communities, civil society, and the media, the WEMA team plans to amplify their findings and push for urgent policy changes.

Top left: Professor Angela Dramowski (Stellenbosch University), Professor Joy Lawn (Chair: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), Dr Larisse Bolton (SACEMA). Top right and bottom left: Dr Larisse Bolton presenting on the data challenges, innovations and partnerships in neonatal sepsis. Bottom right: Breathtaking ceiling of McEwan Hall, Edinburgh.  

Professor Angela Dramowski, infectious disease specialist, paediatrician and infection preventionist from Tygerberg Hospital whose research focuses on the epidemiology, treatment and prevention of neonatal bacterial infections in Africa, and Dr Larisse Bolton, a researcher from the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA) who applies data science approaches to pressing issues in neonatal and maternal health, opened the first day of the conference with a joint keynote titled Partnerships and Innovations to tackle antimicrobial resistant infections in African newborns. This joint presentation exemplified how interdisciplinary research teams can bring forth actionable solutions to address the crisis currently faced in neonatal sepsis diagnosis, management and treatment in Africa. The partnership highlighted the current clinical, diagnostic, treatment and data challenges alongside the exciting innovations and partnerships emerging in response to the call to action.  This presentation served as a striking reminder of the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, showing how the combination of clinical expertise, data science, and epidemiological modelling can generate innovative, actionable solutions to the challenge of antimicrobial resistance in neonatal care. The work presented not only highlighted the urgency of addressing the current crisis in neonatal sepsis but also offered a roadmap for future interventions. As GLOW 2024 ended, the take-home message was clear: solving these complex global health issues will require continued partnership, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the health of mothers and newborns. The path forward may not be easy, but with efforts like these, we are well on our way. 

Stellenbosch University (SU) is firmly committed to the pursuit of knowledge, research, and innovation, in service of society. We provide a world-class centre for learning and development, globally relevant yet rooted in the upliftment and transformation of our local communities.  

Join the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA) at the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) in advancing health through innovative epidemiological modelling. 

SACEMA invites applications for MSc and PhD positions in infectious disease epidemiological modelling. We seek individuals with a strong background in quantitative sciences, including Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Computer Science, Epidemiology, etc., to join our innovative research projects.

Click here more for information on the projects and application process.