The INFORM Africa Research Hub convened its fifth annual Research Hub Meeting during the DS-I Africa Consortium Meeting held in Mombasa, Kenya, in May 2026. Organised by the INFORM Africa Administrative Core, the meeting brought together principal investigators, project leads, and core teams to reflect on achievements, share scientific progress, and identify strategies for successfully completing the final year of the project.
The meeting featured presentations from the three research projects and the Hub’s core units, highlighting key milestones, innovations, and future priorities.
Project 3: HIV and COVID-19 Outcomes in South Africa
Presented by Dr. Johan Van der Molen, Project 3 provided an overview of analyses conducted through the Discovery Health data partnership, examining SARS-CoV-2 infections among people living with HIV in South Africa. Findings demonstrated that HIV infection was a significant predictor of more severe COVID-19 outcomes, reinforcing the importance of targeted interventions for vulnerable populations.
Project 2: Advancing Mobility Modelling for Pandemic Preparedness
Dr. Xin Wu shared progress across all three project aims, highlighting the successful completion of the simulation model and the development of location-based service (LBS) tools for analysing population mobility during pandemics and extreme weather events. These tools provide valuable insights to support evidence-informed public health planning and emergency response.
Project 1: Understanding Genomic Diversity and Community Susceptibility
Prof. Kristen Stafford presented updates on Project 1’s work characterising the genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 across Nigeria. A major achievement of the project is the development of the Place Susceptibility Index (PSI) by Prof. Lanre Lawal, a geospatial decision-support tool designed to help government agencies identify communities most vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks and allocate resources more effectively for pandemic preparedness.
Reflecting on the project’s impact, Prof. Stafford noted:
While it’s useful to know which communities are most susceptible to harm, we also need to identify evidence-based interventions that can be scaled in low- and middle-income settings to reduce the susceptibility of communities most at risk from outbreaks and other public health threats.
Data Management and Administrative Core Updates
Representing the Data Management and Analytics Core (DMAC), Joicy Xavier presented updates on progress in data harmonisation, database hosting, and long-term sustainability strategies to ensure continued access to the Hub’s data resources beyond the current funding period.
On behalf of the Administrative Core, Sophia Osawe highlighted the Research Hub’s accomplishments over the past year, emphasising its central role in coordinating multidisciplinary activities, fostering collaboration, and supporting research excellence across the consortium. She also outlined key priorities for the final phase of the project.
Additionally, Aminu Musa introduced plans for an upcoming INFORM Africa documentary that will showcase the Hub’s capacity-strengthening efforts. The documentary will follow the stories of two trainees from Nigerian government agencies whose participation in the INFORM Africa skills transfer programme has strengthened their expertise in geospatial tools for pandemic preparedness and public health decision-making.
Strengthening Collaboration Through In-Person Engagement
Beyond the formal presentations, the meeting provided an invaluable opportunity for investigators and partners to exchange ideas, strengthen collaborations, and explore new opportunities for future research. Whether during structured discussions or informal conversations over tea, these face-to-face engagements continue to foster innovation and reinforce the multidisciplinary partnerships that define the INFORM Africa Research Hub.
As the programme enters its final funding year, the meeting reaffirmed the Hub’s shared commitment to delivering impactful research, strengthening public health capacity, and generating evidence that supports pandemic preparedness and response across Africa.
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