The Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), in partnership with the global OHDSI community, successfully hosted the inaugural OHDSI Africa Symposium from November 11-12, 2025, at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala, Uganda. This landmark event was preceded by a pre-symposium training day on November 10, 2025, held at the JCRC headquarters.
The symposium, themed “Building a Data-Driven Future for Health in Africa,” convened over 165 registered participants from across Africa and the globe, including health data scientists, clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and digital health experts. The event served as the official launchpad for the OHDSI Africa Chapter, creating a foundational network for sustainable, data-driven health research across the continent.
A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors, partners, volunteers, speakers, and attendees who made this inaugural Africa symposium a success and helped strengthen the OHDSI community across the continent.
A total of 75 participants attended the one-day pre-symposium training that was conducted at Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC). Participants were trained in three separate groups by a team of 14 expert trainers representing different organizations across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Instructors guided each group through foundational concepts and hands-on application of OHDSI methodologies. The training created an interactive learning environment for attendees to explore implementing the OMOP Common Data Model.
The instructors walked the groups through how OHDSI was launched in 2013 following successful OMOP experiments that used observational data to study drugs and their medical outcomes as a collaboration of the US Government, the pharmaceutical industry, FDA and scientists. The session helped set the foundation for the rest of the training by giving everyone a clear picture of the global journey that Africa is now joining.
In this session, we explored how the OMOP CDM uses established medicine vocabularies from repositories such as RXNorm, SNOMED, etc to allow standardize health data. We looked at the OMOP CDM’s structure which organizes data tables around patients, vocabularies and conventions. We learned to search the vocabulary table using the OHDSI tool called Athena. Discussions were made on the need to update selected vocabularies with African-specific variable where possible – to allow inclusive harmonization.
The session elaborated the ETL process that starts with data experts and CDM experts designing the extract, transform and load (ETL) to standardize the format and terminology of the source data. The data is scanned using the White Rabbit OHDSI tool and used by the Rabbit in a Hat tool to connect the source data to the CDM tables. When the vocabulary doesn’t contain the terms in the source data, we create a source to OMOP Vocabulary Concepts map using the Usagi OHDSI tool. The ETL is then implemented using a preferred programming language e.g. R, Python or PostgreSQL. A quality check is performed using the Achilles tool to ensure the CDM logic has been correctly applied.
This session focused on the Data Quality dashboard, which is used to assess how well the data meets the standards of the OMOP CDM. The Data Quality dashboard evaluates plausibility, conformance and completeness of the data, showing which data points pass or fail the verification and validation against the CDM thresholds.
These sessions provided practical use of OHDSI software for analysis. Some of them include phenotypes in real-world data as finding patients with a certain condition or characteristic in a dataset. Once the condition and codelist are available, the cohort is obtained using a cohort constructor or Atlas and cohort diagnostics examined using the PhenotypeR package. Also network studies in various OMOP CDM initiatives were conducted using OHDSI tools in R programming language e.g. OmopSketch to summarize the dataset, CodelistGenerator to find concepts, CohortConstructor to create cohorts, PatientProfiles to identify patient characteristics, CohortCharacteristics to summarise cohorts, IncidencePrevalence to summarise frequency of cohorts, and PhenotypeR to generate an overview of a cohort.
The symposium was officially opened with remarks from Dr. Cissy Kityo, Executive Director of JCRC, who highlighted the critical need for data harmonization and interoperability to support evidence-based policy and precision medicine in Africa. She also thanked the sponsors, acknowledging their crucial role in making this first-ever OHDSI Africa Chapter Symposium possible.
Dr. Mui Van Zandt (IQVIA, OHDSI APAC Lead) provided a global perspective on OHDSI’s community-driven mission, explaining how collaborative efforts worldwide advance observational health research and the sharing of standardized health data to improve patient outcomes.
Mr. Paul Mbaka from the Uganda Ministry of Health’s Health Informatics Division delivered the government’s perspective, emphasizing Uganda’s commitment to strengthening health data systems and the importance of supporting initiatives like OHDSI Africa to enhance national health data infrastructure and informed decision-making.
Session Chair: Alex Asiimwe, Gilead
This session showcased tangible proof that OMOP CDM implementation is feasible and valuable across diverse African contexts.
Prof. Cynthia Sung (Duke-NUS): History of OHDSI Africa & Country Representation. Outlined the chapter’s growth and purpose.
Dr. Francis Kanyike (JCRC): Unlocking Ugandan HIV Data. Presented the center’s experience converting EMR data to OMOP CDM, characterizing profiles of patients with HIV, Hepatitis B, and C, and establishing a reusable data framework.
Dr. Agnes Kiragga (APHRC): Data Science without Borders. Presented this project harmonizing data across Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Senegal while respecting data sovereignty, though noting challenges like low data-sharing consent for mental health data.
Freija Descamps (EdenceHealth): Rwandan Hospital Network. Detailed the LAISDAR project, a federated network of 14 hospitals in Rwanda, initially focused on COVID-19 data and now expanding to other research.
Dr. Sylvia Muyingo (APHRC): Harmonizing Mental Health Data. Highlighted efforts to create a standardized framework for mental health data in Africa, a critically under represented area.
VIDEO: Session 2
SLIDES: Session 2
Session Chair: Damazo Kadengye
Dr. Bekure Tamirat (Africa CDC) discussed the urgent need for a continental Health Data Governance Framework to harmonize standards and build trust across 55 member states.
Dr. Charlie Maere (EGPAF) discussed strengthening Public Digital Infrastructure: OMOP as the Standard for Health Data Analytics for Governments.
Panel Discussion: How Can OHDSI Support Policymakers?
Moderated by Dr. Alex Asiimwe (Gilead Sciences).
The panel, featuring Dr. Cissy Kityo (JCRC), Mr. Paul Mbaka (Uganda MOH), Dr. Mui Van Zandt (IQVIA), Dr. Bekure Tamirat (Africa CDC), and Dr. Gregory Ganda (Kisumu County, Kenya), engaged in a robust discussion. Key takeaways included:
VIDEO: Session 3 Panel
SLIDES: Session 3
| # | Title | Authors | Link to abstract |
| 1. | Using OpenAI and RxNorm to standardize medication lists from Low and Middle-Income Countries | Adam Bouras, Issam Bouizou | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i2N3BVeN_WYnOKP7ld4-A68SXMKUYTJs/view?usp=drive_link
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| 2. | Machine learning-based predictive modeling for viral load suppression among HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa | Amanuel Worku | https://drive.google.com/file/d/16ewmf4bTxD3g5KOjSxi1KyRS_WLcuzZ0/view?usp=drive_link
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| 3. | Malaria Hazard and Risk Modeling using Geospatial Technology-Based Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation Techniques: The Case of West Wollega, Oromia, Ethiopia | Birhanu Kenate | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qImlnydjkKv94cNFM6cy4DAjST_5uYdY/view?usp=drive_link
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| 4. | Integrating Open Cohort HDSS Data into the OHDSI Ecosystem: Population-Level Estimation in Rural Uganda. | Collins Gyezaho, Dan Kajungu | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DoCQlsD2IUtJ5mILF0Zq8e8Pj1UjVnmQ/view?usp=drive_link
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| 5. | edenceHealth RxNorm Builder | Silvia Jimenez, Lore Vermeylen | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QVvT1F4QH85Py6R9XYFvSLtQk8FuTYDx/view?usp=drive_link
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| 6. | A Modular Framework for Data Harmonization: Enhancing Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare ETL Pipelines | Isaac Claessen ,Silvia Jimenez Navarro, Shirah Cashriel, Panagiotis Gialernios | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wGQqsdc031I4k56o7b9jAdkUqiWJvYAT/view?usp=drive_link
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| 7. | Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Health Data Analytics: A Context-Aware Methodology for Africa. | Mary Atieno Juma | https://drive.google.com/file/d/18B0wgm1SX5Ac44y2Uv5R4PuGMJkJ9pRi/view?usp=drive_link
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| 8. | Unlocking Testing: Applying Anderson’s Behavioral Model to Understand HIV Test Access Among Young Tanzanian Women | Mesfin Abebe, Yordanos Sisay Asgedom, Amanuel Yosef Gebrekidan, Habtamu Endashaw Hareru, Tsion Mulat Tebeje | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n_GyOigNGPO7t_BDMjNJBUut3rJ4rO7z/view?usp=drive_link
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| 9. | Standardizing Ethiopia’s National ART Program Effectiveness Study (NAPES) Dataset to the OMOP OHDSI Common Data Model | ulugeta Gebremariam Tadele, Belayneh Endalamaw Dejene, Fikregabrail Aberra Kassa, Tsegaye Hailu, Dagim Hailegebrel, Liya Shimeles, Yordanos Sintayehu, Aklilu Alemu, Rawleigh Howe, Bethlehem Adnew, Alemseged Abdisa
| https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pb1-lBGCwaW-mntg1BZ1Q7lH7vWtcPJZ/view?usp=drive_link
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| 10. | Transforming Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Data into the OMOP CDM: Early Implementation Insights from Senegal | Ousmane Diop, Rachel Odhiambo, Abdoulaye Samba Diallo, Ousmane Diouf, Bakary Dembo Diatta, Mamadou Lamine Cissé, Fatou Mbaye, Yacine Amet Dia, Mame Sokhna Gueye, Aminata Dia, Abdou Padane, Nafissatou Leye, Seyni Ndiaye, Abdoulaye Leye Sarr, Maryline Aza-Gnandji, Mamadou Ndao, Astou Guèye, Steve Bicko Cygu, Samuel Iddi, Miranda Barasa, Agnes Kiragga, Moussa Sarr, Souleymane Mboup, Aminata Mboup
| https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CcC58TyP-azLBgtT85suzikgTvL-fgnp/view?usp=drive_link
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| 11. | Integrating Francophone Health Data into OMOP with hybrid Human-AI approach | Ousmane Diop, Rachel Odhiambo, Ousmane Diouf, Abdoulaye Samba Diallo, Bakary Dembo, Diatta, Steve Bicko Cygu, Samuel Iddi, Miranda Barasa, Agnes Kiragga, Moussa Sarr, Souleymane Mboup, Aminata Mboup
| https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WcDDL5tOg_65RA3NxZlBr2VEgy1RqQ2n/view?usp=drive_link
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| 12. | Harmonizing questionnaire data in OMOP: learnings from the EORTC QLQ vocabulary | Sebastiaan van Sandijk, Vlad Korsik | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_X1SfHtsv9P-Gza7LkPjC93_r5lUwINe/view?usp=drive_link
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| 13. | Characterization of US Standard Certificate of Birth Data Using OHDSI Tools | Yacob Gebretensae, Benjamin Martin, Khyzer Aziz, Paul Nagy, Cynthia Sung | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nzKdzuX5JMNefhCFvxb_MC6fviP6eo0z/view?usp=drive_link
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| 14. | From Fragmentation to Federation: A Multi-Partner OMOP Implementation in Uganda Enabling Global Real-World Evidence Generation
| Francis Kanyike, Annet Nanungi, Harriet Dickinson, Atif Adam, James Brash, Thu Do, Caroline Otike, Michael Bogart, Alex Asiimwe, Mui Van Zandt, Cissy Kityo Mutuluuza
| https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k2FjLGfXkXXzyIQpowmjvrb3-dZkK8IR/view?usp=drive_link
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Lightnig talks provided a platform for emerging researchers.
VIDEO: Lightning Talks
SLIDES: Lightning Talks
Keynote Address: Dr. Patrick Ryan (VP, Observational Health Data Analytics, Johnson & Johnson) inspired attendees on generating reliable evidence through community collaboration and standardized data models, encouraging active contribution to the global OHDSI community.
The Titan Award was presented to Dr. Agnes Kiragga for her foundational contributions to the OHDSI Africa community.
Session Chair: Sylvia Muyingo
Presenters
Session Chair: Dr. Tamale William
Presenters
Dr. Cissy Kityo thanked the sponsors of the symposium for making it possible to open the OHDSI Africa Chapter, the trainers who prepared and equipped participants with knowledge of the OHDSI/OMOP CDM resources, the speakers of the symposium who brought a body of knowledge that we remain indebted to tap into to grow the OHDSI Africa Chapter, organisers and all participants who attended the symposium.. She officially handed over the next OHDSI Africa Symposium to Dr Bekure Tamirat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This symposium marked the beginning of the journey. To continue building a data-driven future for health in Africa, we invite you to get involved.
Together, we can harness the power of standardized data to improve health outcomes across the continent.
