DELTAS Africa Initiative - SSACAB

Funded by the Wellcome Trust, through its DELTAS Africa programme (Developing Excellencein Leadership, Training and Science) the Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics Training (SSACAB) brings together about 20 African and Northern academic and research institutions (including INDEPTH) to develop and improve biostatistical skills among researchers. The ultimate goal is to create research nodes of excellence to grow the discipline and a biostatistical network to nurture researchers with advanced skills and expertise. SSACAB will support the development of a network of statisticians to deliver statistical courses for biomedical researchers, develop and implement statistical theory to analyse health data, and create the framework for improved biostatistical skills among health researchers and academics in nine African countries. This network will be integrated within the existing Sub-Saharan Africa Network (SUSAN) under the International Biometric Society (IBS).

 INDEPTH Network is one of the four Southern research institutional collaborators in the SSACAB consortium. INDEPTH's involvement provides a pool of both potential students and research scientists to co-supervise and generate research questions that are relevant to the needs of the region. More specifically, like other research institution in the collaboration INDEPTH’s contribution will include: to formulate and provide research projects for nesting students and/or data necessary for advanced statistical analysis, Co-supervision of MSc and PhD students as well as providing students with hands on working experience in study design, fieldwork, data analysis and writing skills in different research environments.

 Among those awarded fellowship under the DELTAS/SSACAB funding is Mr. Melkamu Dedefo (from Kersa HDSS in Ethiopia) who is currently on PhD training at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.