ESIDA - Epidemiological Surveillance for
Infectious Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa
In November 2020, the ESIDA research and networking project was initiated. The focus of the newly established German-Tanzanian research group is to strengthen “Epidemiological Surveillance for Infectious Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa” by connecting the concepts and skills of Life Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Computer Sciences.
On 22 April 2021, the ESIDA network hosted a virtual kick-off and networking meeting to introduce the project, its objectives and the partners behind the project.
Please find the event agenda here
If you want to know more about ESIDA visit our website or information sheet and follow us on Twitter or Research Gate.
ESIDA Background
Early detection and timely response to infectious disease epidemics remain a key challenge for health systems worldwide. Especially in regions with limited epidemiological surveillance capacity, disease outbreaks often go unnoticed, particularly affecting resource-restricted areas such as countries in sub- Saharan Africa.
The growing digital infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and advances in communication technologies and computer sciences hold considerable potential for strengthening local surveillance systems and early outbreak detection. For example, the collection of health information through mobile devices and Open Data as an additional dimension of traditional epidemiological surveillance systems open new avenues for research and development. However, they also require joint efforts of qualified actors across borders and research disciplines.
The German-Tanzanian research and networking project ESIDA aims to address this challenge by connecting skills, methods and data objects from different research disciplines involving clinical research, epidemiology, public health, biosecurity, environmental sciences, data and computer sciences. Its long-term goal is to expand the ESIDA network and enhance scientific exchange to strengthen Infectious Diseases Surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa.
ESIDA Research Network
The ESIDA project (01DU20005A-D) is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and is conducted by:
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), Hamburg, Germany
Department Infectious Disease Epidemiology
The Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg), Hamburg, Germany
Department of Health Sciences
Department of Computer Sciences
Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management”
The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha, Tanzania
Africa Centre for Research, Agricultural Advancement, Teaching Excellence and Sustainability (CREATES)
The University of Hamburg (UHH), Hamburg, Germany
Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, Department for Microbiology and Biotechnology
The University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology
