Strengthening Africa’s brain capital through data: SSACAB at the G20 Brain Health Side Meeting

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At the recent G20 Ministerial meeting on Brain Health, co-hosted by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative and the Science for Africa Foundation, SSACAB was represented by Professor Eustasius Musenge and Caroline Vika. Their participation underscored the central role of biostatistics and data science in shaping Africa’s next generation of health and economic strategies.

The ministerial event marked the launch of Africa’s Five-Year Brain Health Action Plan, a bold call for investment in the continent’s “brain capital.” While SSACAB’s primary focus is biostatistical capacity-building rather than neuroscience, the initiative aligns with the Consortium’s mission: strengthening Africa’s ability to collect, analyse, and interpret complex health data to inform sustainable, evidence-based policy.

Brain health underpins learning, creativity, and decision-making. These foundations facilitate health and well-being and have economic and financial implications. When we integrate robust biostatistical methods into brain-health research, interventions can be data-driven, scalable, and responsive to Africa’s diverse population.

For SSACAB, attending this high-level discussion reinforced three key insights: Data infrastructure is health infrastructure. Strengthening data systems for brain health aligns with SSACAB’s broader goal of equipping African researchers to drive evidence-based solutions across disease areas. Digital and AI tools demand African data leadership. The Brain Health Plan’s emphasis on digital innovation echoes SSACAB’s investment in training biostatisticians to lead in machine learning, modelling, and ethical data use. Brain capital is human capital. Africa’s demographic advantage will only translate into prosperity if we protect and optimise the cognitive health of our populations. This is an area where data analysis, surveillance, and evaluation will be crucial.

“Whether in infectious diseases, non-communicable conditions, or brain health, the ability to model and predict outcomes will define Africa’s research sovereignty,” said Professor Musenge. As the global conversation on brain health gathers momentum, SSACAB remains committed to ensuring that data-driven insight, rigorous methods, and African-led capacity remain at the heart of every health-innovation agenda.