Africa contributes only 2% of global health research publications, resulting in heavy reliance on external data to shape local health policies—data that often doesn’t reflect the region’s unique epidemiology. Much of the research conducted in sub-Saharan Africa is driven by high-income countries, often aligned with their funding priorities or political interests. Additionally, limited research-focused training, language barriers, poor access to academic resources, and weak collaboration between policymakers and academics further hinder meaningful local research output.

While data from developing regions can be exported for advanced analysis elsewhere, this raises ethical concerns due to past instances of exploitative research. Consequently, many developing countries have tightened data sharing, yet they still depend on foreign data and innovations that may not suit their local contexts—perpetuating a cycle of data dependence.

Recognizing these issues, Epistatearch, a private not-for-profit organization, works to enhance multidisciplinary medical research, innovation, and productivity in developing regions, promoting evidence-based health policies grounded in locally analyzed data.