Training Details
Category
Hackathon
Date
20-24 January 2025
Location
Nairobi, Kenya
Duration
5 days
Mode
In-Person
Cost
Free
Max Participants
30
Application Deadline
3rd December 2024, 5pm EAT
About This Hackathon
The 'Bridging the Gap Hackathon' is a 5-day event to bring together public health decision-makers, developers, technical experts, and academics and researchers to create free, open-source resources to support and facilitate evidence-informed decision making and address health policy needs in Kenya.
Who Should Attend
Health Decision-Makers & Providers: Ministry of Health officials and public health specialists who provide insights based on real-world public health needs and ensure developed tools address practical challenges. Developers and Technical Experts: Individuals proficient in R programming, version control using Git and GitHub, epidemiological modelling, and software development. Academics and Researchers: Participants from various Kenyan institutions, not limited to CEMA, or MRC-GIDA at Imperial College London who are involved in infectious disease modelling and public health data analysis.
Event Schedule
day1
Foundations and Group Formation - Introductions, icebreaker activities, and team building exercises. Sharing of real-world challenges presented by Ministry of Health, health organizations and/or public health specialists. Formation of interdisciplinary teams focused on specific public health challenges. Overview of Git, Github and collaborative coding practices (GitHub training should have been completed before attending the course).
days2-3
Coding and Collaboration - Dedicated project work time with guidance from experienced facilitators. Continuous interaction and feedback sessions to refine ideas and approaches.
day4
Presentation and Feedback - Teams present their minimum viable products to Ministry of Health representatives and other stakeholders. Constructive feedback and discussions on the relevance and potential impact of the tools developed.
day5
Refinement and Next Steps - Project refinement based on the feedback received. Planning for further development, implementation, and potential scaling of the tools. Closing remarks and celebration of achievements.
Background
Experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges decision makers face in interpreting and using analytics for public health policy. To respond to these challenges, researchers at the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC-GIDA) at Imperial College London and the Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) at the University of Nairobi are currently conducting a research study to explore how the gap between quantitative scientists and policymakers, especially in resource-constrained settings can be bridged.
Additional Information
Important Note
This activity is restricted to up to 30 applicants residing in Kenya.
Venue Details
The hackathon will be hosted at the smart classroom on 11th floor at UoN towers, main campus, Nairobi, Kenya.
