64th ISI World Statistics Congress - Ottawa, Canada

64th ISI World Statistics Congress - Ottawa, Canada

The SSACAB Program: sharing the lessons in biostatistical training

Conference

64th ISI World Statistics Congress - Ottawa, Canada

Format: IPS Abstract

Keywords: biostatistics, capacity-building

Session: IPS 225 - Building statistical capacity for clinical trials in Sub-Saharan Africa

Wednesday 19 July 10 a.m. - noon (Canada/Eastern)

Abstract

The SSACAB Program: sharing the lessons in biostatistical training
The increase in health research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has led to a high demand for biostatisticians to contribute and develop study designs, apply statistical methods to analyse the resulting data. Initiatives exist to address the dearth in statistical capacity and lack of local biostatisticians in SSA health projects. Led by African institutions, the Sub-Saharan African Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics (SSACAB) aims to improve biostatistical capacity in Africa according to the needs identified by African institutions, through collaborative masters and doctoral training in biostatistics methods and application.
Formed in 2015, SSACAB comprises 11 universities and four research institutions, supported by four European universities. In 2015 only four institutions had established Masters’ programmes in biostatistics and SSACAB supported the remaining institutions to develop such programmes. In 2019 the University of the Witwatersrand became the first African institution to gain Royal Statistical Society accreditation for a Biostatistics MSc programme. A total of 157 fellows have been awarded scholarships to date of which 130 are Masters’ fellowships. Graduates have been employed in African academic (19) and research (15) institutions and 10 have enrolled for PhD studies. A total of 27 (10 female) PhD fellowships have been awarded. To date, SSACAB fellows have published 65 peer-reviewed articles. SSACAB has also facilitated well-attended conferences, face-to-face and online short courses.
Pooling of limited biostatistics resources in SSA combined with co-funding from external partners has shown to be an effective strategy for the development and teaching of advanced biostatistics methods, supervision and mentoring of PhD candidates.