Worldwide, many countries face challenges not just in collecting public health data, but ensuring that data is used to inform meaningful policy change. The Data to Policy (D2P) program, part of Bloomberg’s Data for Health Initiative and supported the CDC Foundation, is helping to bridge that gap. Through interactive training and mentorship, public health professionals learn how to analyze data, assess policy options and present evidence-based recommendations to decision-makers. In Zambia, the program has strengthened the country’s ability to turn data into action and contributed to major public health successes.

Building a Pathway from Data to Action

D2P is designed to equip staff from ministries of health and national public health institutes with the skills to translate data into actionable policy briefs. Its structured format involves several phases of intensive training, mentorship and close stakeholder engagements throughout the process.

• The first training unit focuses on skills such as analyzing data and understanding root causes of public health issues and potential policy interventions. During this time, participants are grouped into teams and select a topic for a policy brief which aligns with government policy priorities.
• Between training sessions 1 and 2, the participants engage in a mentorship period, working closely with assigned mentors to develop their policy topic and refine their analyses. Mentors are typically D2P graduates who have undergone a “train-the-trainer" workshop.
• The second unit introduces economic analysis, which allows participants to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of their proposed policies.
• The third unit has policy teams reconvene through a writing workshop to finalize policy briefs—concise, evidence-driven documents designed to influence government decisions.
• In the final phase, a policy forum brings together stakeholders from multiple governmental ministries and departments, and other key players from partner organizations. Many public health issues require cross-sector collaboration between health and other sectors such as finance, education or agriculture. By providing a structured space for engagement, these forums help ensure that D2P participants can bring their research and recommendations directly to senior leaders and decision-makers.
   

Zambia’s Success in Turning Evidence into Policy

A prime example of D2P’s policy impact is the Zambian government mandate requiring routine HIV testing and treatment for children. In 2015, D2P program participants analyzed and modelled data to understand the extent of childhood mortality and gaps in HIV detection among children, which revealed that if HIV positive children are unidentified and left untreated, 75 percent will die by the age of five. The team's policy brief highlighted the need for routine testing in health facilities to significantly improve early diagnosis and treatment. In late 2016, the D2P team presented their research and recommendations at two policy forums, and by March 2017, the Health Press - Zambia published an article highlighting the topic.

The impact was profound. In August 2017, Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu announced a nationwide policy reinforcing routine HIV testing and treatment for all people (children and adults) who visit a clinic. The Ministry of Health integrated the policy into national health guidelines, leading to a substantial increase in the number of children tested and treated with antiretroviral therapy—from only 3 percent to 85 percent by 2020. According to the model, this will have saved 1,288 children’s lives each year.

Another success is the 2020-2021 D2P cohort’s policy brief which advocated for the scale-up of Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garments (NASG). NASGs can help prevent maternal deaths from post-partum hemorrhage (PPH), or severe bleeding after childbirth. The NASG is a simple first-aid device that helps stabilize women experiencing PPH by applying compression to the lower body, redirecting blood flow to vital organs. The brief made a compelling case for investing in NASGs to stabilize women in critical condition until they could receive definitive care—which is particularly valuable for people living in rural areas far from medical centers. The Zambian Ministry of Health, through support from partners, purchased close to 900 NASGs, marking a significant step forward in maternal health interventions. While implementation is ongoing, the brief successfully secured high-level commitment to scaling up the intervention to reduce maternal mortality.

A Model for Institutionalizing Data-Driven Policy

Since its launch in Zambia in 2016, the D2P program has expanded its impact across the country and the region, with professionals trained through the program mentoring others in neighboring countries such as Malawi and Tanzania. The D2P program has also helped build sustainable institutional capacity. Recognizing the value of translating data into policy, the Zambia National Health Research Authority has conducted D2P trainings and is currently implementing a Policy Advancement Program within its Knowledge Translation department to create action plans for turning critical policy recommendations into public health policies.

Looking Ahead

Zambia’s success demonstrates the power of equipping public health professionals with the tools to drive change. Looking forward, the program aims to expand its reach into the field epidemiology training program curriculum and improve data analysis capabilities to inform policy topics. By ensuring that raw data is effectively analyzed and used, the D2P initiative is poised to enhance public health decision-making across multiple regions.

From increasing HIV testing rates to improving maternal health interventions, Zambia’s experience proves that data-driven policy is a life-saving strategy. Dr. Theodora Savory is director of strategy and information at the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia and an author of the policy brief for routine HIV testing in children. She says, “Before we didn’t think we could influence on a high level...Data to Policy training helped us end up with a razor-sharp policy brief that convinced people that something needed to change.”

Photos: Juan Arredondo