Training Workshop on Effective PC-NTDs Data Processing and Use

Kintele, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo— As countries across the WHO African Region advance towards the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), the ability to generate, process and use high-quality data is becoming increasingly important.

For preventive chemotherapy (PC)-NTD programmes, data underpin many of the decisions that determine whether interventions reach the people who need them. From planning and monitoring treatment to identifying gaps and tracking programme performance, reliable and actionable data help national programmes make informed decisions and respond to changing needs.

Yet collecting data is only one part of the process. Data must be cleaned, validated, analysed and transformed into information that programme teams can use. Strengthening these capacities is particularly important as countries increasingly rely on digital tools and platforms to manage and report programme information.

To support this effort, WHO AFRO through the Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) is convening a Training Workshop on Effective PC-NTDs Data Processing and Use from the 24th - 28th August 2026, bringing together NTD programme and data teams from across the African Region.

The workshop will provide participants with practical opportunities to strengthen data quality, processing, analysis and reporting. Participants will also explore digital tools and ESPEN platforms that can support data management and programme decision-making, while sharing experiences and approaches from their respective countries.

Additionally, the workshop goes beyond data processing. It aims to strengthen the connection between data and action, helping programme teams use information to better understand their programmes, identify challenges and support evidence-informed planning.

Through practical exercises, peer learning and technical exchange, participants will work towards strengthening national data workflows and developing approaches that can be applied within their own programme contexts.

As countries move closer to the goals of the WHO NTD Roadmap 2030, stronger capacity to turn data into actionable information will be essential. Investing in the people, tools and systems that support effective data use, means countries can strengthen programme performance and accelerate progress towards a future free from NTDs.