Using data science to reduce heat-related health harms in Africa
Developing data science solutions to mitigate the health impacts of heat in Africa: the HE2AT Center Project
This project links health, weather, and location data to find ways to protect pregnant people, newborns, and other vulnerable communities in sub‑Saharan Africa from heat-related illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wits Health Consortium (Pty), LTD NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Parktown, South Africa) |
| Project ID | NIH-11396879 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building a data ecosystem that joins biomedical records with weather, air quality, and geospatial information across sub‑Saharan Africa. They will reuse existing pregnancy and newborn cohort and trial data to study how heat exposure affects mothers and babies. The Center runs two main research projects plus 10–12 pilot projects, supported by teams for data management, training, and community engagement. Local and international experts in physiology, public health, social science, and data science will work together to produce practical tools and guidance for health workers and policymakers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are pregnant people and newborns in sub‑Saharan Africa or individuals living in high-heat areas whose health records can be linked to environmental data.
Not a fit: People living outside sub‑Saharan Africa or whose health records and local environmental data are not available or linked are unlikely to directly benefit from this Center's work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could produce data-driven warnings, clinical guidance, and interventions that reduce heat-related illness and deaths among pregnant people and newborns.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has shown heat harms for pregnant people and newborns and that linking weather and health data can inform warnings, but a large, multi-country data center approach in Africa is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Parktown, South Africa
- Wits Health Consortium (Pty), LTD — Parktown, South Africa (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chersich, Matthew Francis — Wits Health Consortium (Pty), LTD
- Study coordinator: Chersich, Matthew Francis
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.