AIMS hosts UK and East African statistics officials to drive climate and health data collaboration
Date: 2026-03-17
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
AIMS Research and Innovation Centre has hosted senior officials from the UK
Office for National Statistics (ONS) and regional statistical agencies to
strengthen collaborative efforts on climate and health data.
Visitors
included James Tucker, Deputy Director for Health, International and
Partnerships at ONS, Adil Deedat, Assistant Deputy Director and Head of
International Development Operations at ONS, and Theodore Joloza, Strategic
Advisor affiliated with the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda and the
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
During
the engagement, Wilfred Ndifon emphasised the importance of translating
academic research into practical tools that inform policy and benefit society.
He highlighted the partnership between AIMS and ONS, including the SOSCHI
project, which integrates climate and health data to support evidence-based
decision-making.
Researchers
Etsè Yawo Dzakpa and Beatrice Byukusenge presented case studies linking climate
data with health outcomes for diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea. By
combining these datasets, the initiative aims to provide intelligence that
helps policymakers anticipate outbreaks and implement proactive interventions
to enhance health system resilience in the face of climate change.
A
significant component of the collaboration includes the secondment of AIMS
researchers to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, supporting the
integration of SOSCHI indicators and tools into national statistical systems,
further strengthening regional data-driven planning and response capabilities.
