A Data Mentorship Programme launched by UNICEF under the joint regional 2gether 4 SRHR programme, is supporting Ministries of Health to achieve their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) goals. The initiative equips health personnel with the data analysis skills needed to drive evidence-based decision-making and improve health outcomes.
Over the past decades, there has been significant progress in reducing HIV-related deaths, due to greater availability and accessibility to HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy. Yet challenges remain, especially in Eastern and Southern Africa, where more than half of those living with HIV reside.
Women of reproductive age, especially adolescents and young women, face a disproportionate burden of HIV. Hence the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) remains to be of the main focus areas of HIV response. EMTCT has halved vertical transmission of HIV in this region since 2010, meaning more babies are being born free from HIV. But global coverage of ART prophylaxis for HIV-positive pregnant women is still only 89%.
To end AIDS as a public health crisis by 2030, UN agencies support an AU backed initiative to support African countries working towards the "triple elimination" of vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. The “Path to Elimination” process has seen countries like Namibia and Botswana recently achieve Silver and Gold Tier Status respectively, on their journey towards achieving key testing and treatment milestones, indicating their proximity to achieving epidemic control. But the initiative is dependent on health data being documented, understood, and consistently used, to drive health programme and budget decisions - which has not always been possible in low-income countries. Global funding cuts in 2025 also severely diminished data collection capacity.
To address existing gaps, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa partnered with IQVIA and the University of Zambia to create a Data Mentorship Programme to enhance the capacity of health data managers in government systems. Launched in 2021 in Eastern and Southern Africa and later expanded to West and Central Africa, the programme employs a blended learning model and has trained 57 mentees from 14 countries to improve data analysis and inform health policy decisions.
Empowering Ministries of Health
Training in data collection, validation, and interpretation has enabled mentees to identify and address key information gaps. Many have now become leaders in their national contexts.
- One mentee in Eswatini reported that the introduction of Power BI, a data visualization tool, allowed them to create a dashboard showcasing monthly syphilis testing trends that is now used in district review meetings.
Driving Data-Informed Action for Key Health Programmes
A critical outcome is the application of newly acquired skills in national programs.
- One mentee working with the Ministry of Health in Rwanda is now leading the revision of their national syphilis indicators, showcasing the practical and policy-level impact of the mentorship. The mentees are also developing operational plans that have been integrated into Ministry of Health workplans and, in some cases, fully or partially incorporated into annual national health strategies.
- In South Africa and Eswatini mentees from the National Department of Health were appointed to lead the country's Path to Elimination of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B process. They were tasked with coordinating national efforts and successfully led the South African team in completing the country's self-assessment.
- In Malawi, mentees were equipped with the technical capacity to strengthen national responses to syphilis within the broader EMTCT agenda, which supported the country’s WHO Path to Elimination validation processes. By applying newly acquired skills in data analysis and interpretation, mentees advanced evidence-based decision-making that improved planning and resource allocation for syphilis prevention, directly enhancing national capacity to address vertical transmission challenges.
Cost-Effective Capacity Building for Sustainable Impact
The use of digital platforms enabled content reusability, reduced travel costs, and expanded the geographic reach, without proportional increases in expenditure. An important element of the Data Mentorship Programme is also the development of operational plans. After the live sessions, participants are supported with mentorship to implement operational plans that were developed during the course, typically addressing a gap based on their country’s data and context.
Recommendations for strengthening the Data Mentorship Programme in future phases include:
- Institutionalising cost-effective platforms and exploring more affordable, scalable options to ensure sustainability in donor-constrained environments.
- Scaling local capacity by continuing to build and rely on local mentors, research associates, and supervisors.
- Adopting sustainable financing strategies by integrating DMP financing into domestic budgets and exploring alternative funding sources.
- Integrating advanced data tools into future module iterations, such as leveraging artificial intelligence.
- Establishing an alumni network and community of practice for sustained engagement and knowledge sharing.
The Data Mentorship Programme has emerged as a catalytic model for strengthening regional health systems, equipped to address key challenges and support countries in accelerating progress towards the Path to Elimination of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B. Continued high-level commitment from governments, UN agencies, and the donor community is vital to sustain the momentum and celebrate this model as a pillar of health system resilience in Africa.
Data Mentoring Key Considerations
