The generation, analysis, and use of high-quality data are fundamental to effective public health programmes and evidence-based decision-making. As countries move away from siloed disease-specific approaches, they face the growing challenge of managing, integrating, and interpreting multiple data sets. Interoperability across health information systems has therefore become essential to achieving better health outcomes. At the same time, emerging technologies such as digital data systems and artificial intelligence present both opportunities and risks, particularly around data ownership, confidentiality, and equity. In this context, developing a skilled local workforce under strong government leadership is critical to managing increasing data complexity.
Timely and reliable data enable governments and partners to better target investments, prioritize services, and reach specific populations and geographic areas, ultimately improving programme impact. However, persistent gaps in data capacity continue to limit progress in many regions, including Eastern and Southern Africa. As global health financing becomes more constrained and the architecture of global health evolves, building resilient, locally anchored data systems has become an urgent priority for achieving ambitious public health goals.
This brief draws on lessons learned from a data mentorship programme and outlines key considerations for governments, donors, and programme implementers seeking to strengthen local data management capacity within a broader health systems strengthening framework. The need for such capacity is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa, which faces three interlinked public health crises. Nearly 86 per cent of children living with HIV globally are in the region, while African countries account for 60 per cent of global congenital syphilis cases. Sub-Saharan Africa also bears a significant burden of hepatitis B, with up to a quarter of the global caseload and more than 80 million people chronically infected, yet diagnosis and treatment rates remain extremely low. Achieving the triple elimination of vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B depends on the continuous use of high-quality data to inform planning, budgeting, service delivery, and monitoring.
Against this backdrop, UNICEF and its partners launched the Data Mentorship Programme in 2021 under the joint UN regional 2gether 4 SRHR initiative. Designed to move beyond short-term technical fixes, the programme focuses on strengthening national capacity for data-driven decision-making. It equips health professionals with practical skills to analyse, interpret, and apply data in support of evidence-based policy and programme action. Since its inception, 57 health professionals from 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in Eastern and Southern Africa, have completed the programme, contributing to stronger data use within national health systems.
The programme was initially implemented in collaboration with UNICEF, IQVIA, and the University of Zambia and promotes an integrated, standards-based approach to data analysis and use. A core feature of the model is structured mentorship, pairing junior and senior staff as well as faculty mentors. Participants complete a 14-week blended learning programme that combines virtual modules with mentorship from faculty and Ministries of Health. Through hands-on work, mentees produce analytical reports using national data and develop operational plans that assess current data systems, identify gaps, define progress indicators, and outline pathways to achieve key milestones. Graduates of the programme continue to contribute by supporting future cohorts and sharing practical insights on applying newly acquired skills.
To ensure long-term sustainability, the programme deliberately partnered with an accredited academic institution to embed the modules into formal education pathways. The University of Zambia has since integrated the course into its postgraduate public health curriculum, enabling health professionals to enrol as part of their continuing professional development and earn recognized learning credits. This academic integration represents a critical step toward institutionalising data capacity within the region.
Following three successful cohorts, an independent review confirmed the programme’s effectiveness, efficiency, and strategic relevance. The review found that the initiative led to increased data collection, improved analysis, and greater use of data for decision-making. It also highlighted the programme’s strong potential for scalability and sustainability through integration into academic curricula, government systems, and regional frameworks. Key recommendations included investing in digital infrastructure to reduce delivery costs and embedding professional development expenses into national health budgets.
As countries accelerate efforts toward the triple elimination agenda and broader Sustainable Development Goals, the Data Mentorship Programme stands out as a proven and adaptable model for strengthening health systems and institutionalising data capacity. The lessons distilled from the 2025 programme review demonstrate how a mentorship-based approach can build national and regional networks of data experts while ensuring long-term sustainability. In a time of increasing fiscal pressure and growing data demands, investing in such collaborative, locally driven models is essential for resilient, evidence-based public health systems and improved health outcomes.
