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Data to Advance Population Health: Global Perspectives 

As the first course in the Strengthening Population Health Data Systems series offered by the Center for Global Digital Health Innovation, it provides learners with a foundation in population health data use. As such, it defines population health data, introduces key data use concepts and describes how to use data effectively when making decisions about population health. The overarching goal of this course is to support and improve the use of data to inform policy and strengthen public health programs.  

Key Course Learnings: 

  • Gain a foundation in key terms and concepts on the data generation lifecycle  
  • Discover the factors intrinsic to data quality and an organization’s strong data use culture 
  • Understand how data can be translated into effective health policy 
  • Learn tools and approaches for assessing health inequalities, including measures of gender inequity 

Course Audience: 

  • Global practitioners, decision-makers and program managers in public health whose work or career will benefit from using data more effectively in health decision making 
  • Technology industry professionals who need a foundation in global health data use to inform their work designing and/or building health information systems 

Learning Methods: 

  • Asynchronous online course that can be taken at the learner’s own pace 
  • Four modules that can be completed in 8 hours or less 
  • Video lectures, presentation slides, readings, and online assessments 
  • Real-world, applied learning examples of population health data use: 
    • Public Health Bulletin Project and the WHO Mortality Database 
    • Case studies from Peru and Sri Lanka 

Overview of Instructors:

  • Taught by 19 population health data experts from around the world 
  • Serving in various professional roles, such as Ministry of Health official, policy analyst, epidemiologist, healthcare provider, public health technical advisor, and health economist 
  • Representing the World Health Organization, CDC Foundation, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Vital Strategies.  

Instructor profiles

Andrew Ancharski, MSPH, MPH​

Andrew Ancharski is an Epidemiology and Health Policy Trainer with the CDC Foundation whose interests are global health epidemiology and infectious diseases with a focus on tropical medicine.​

Nidhi Chaudhary, MBBS​

Dr. Nidhi Chaudhary is a Principal Technical Advisor at Vital Strategies in the Data for Health initiative, Data Impact Program, Asia-Pacific Region.​

Richard Delaney, MPP​

Richard Delaney has over 25 years of experience as a policy analysis expert and executive development professional. He is currently a Principal Technical Advisor for the Data Impact program at Vital Strategies.​

Cynthia Driver, MPH, DrPH​

Dr. Cynthia Driver is a Principal Technical Advisor at Vital Strategies in the Data for Health Initiative, Data Impact Program.​

Doris Ma Fat, BA​

Doris Ma Fat’s prime responsibility is the management of the WHO Mortality Database hosted by the Department of Data and Analytics of the World Health Organization.​

Gilbert W. Hiawalyer, MBBS, MsC, DrPH​

Dr. Gilbert W. Hiawalyer is a trained epidemiologist and public health specialist who is currently serving as a senior faculty member in the Field Epidemiology Training Program in Papua New Guinea. He teaches health workers epidemiology and analytic training in data for health, data for evidence-based policy, and the development of policy briefs and research.​

Tânia Issufo, MPH, MD​

Dr. Tânia Issufo is a Mozambican physician, public health, and clinical expert with 15 years of experience working in tuberculosis,  HIV/AIDS, and malaria in Mozambique. She is a Data Impact Coordinator at Vital Strategies.​

Ruxana Jina, MBChB, MS, PhD​

Dr. Ruxana Jina, a public health physician and epidemiologist, is the Director of the Data Impact Program at Vital Strategies.​

Kimberly Koporc, MPH, MBA​

Dr. Kimberly Koporc is a Senior Technical Advisor working for the CDC Foundation. She serves as the Public Health Bulletin Project Manager for the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Data for Health Initiative’s Data Impact Program.​

Chen Lei, MCTM, MD​

Dr. Chen Lei is a Technical Advisor in the Data Impact and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Programs at Vital Strategies under the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Data for Health Initiative.​

Emmanuel Ngwakongnwi, MPH, PhD​

Dr. Emmanuel Ngwakongnwi is a population health scientist interested in data structure and quality assessment, as well as leveraging health data to inform health policy decisions.​

Luis Ocaranza, MHS​

Luis Caranza is a Technical Advisor for the Data Impact Program at Vital Strategies. He is a health economist and data visualization professional whose work supports the development of digital tools to improve public health decision-making.​

Beatrice Onyando, MBChB​

Dr. Beatrice Onyando is a public health practitioner who led Vital Strategies’ Data Impact program in Kenya.​​

Arrpita Paul, MBBS, MBA, MD​

Dr. Arrpita Paul’s experience lies in providing technical support to governments for strategic planning and advancement of health programs in resource-constrained settings to improve universal access to health. She is a Senior Manager in Vital Strategies’ Data Impact Program.​

Michelle R. Kaufman, MA, PhD​

Dr. Michelle Kaufman is an Associate Professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who studies health disparities (particularly related to gender and sexuality) and technology-driven interventions to promote health equity.​

Ahmad Reza Hosseinpoor, MD, PhD​

Dr. Ahmad Reza Hosseinpoor is a medical doctor and an epidemiologist who leads the work on health inequality monitoring at the World Health Organization in Geneva.​

William Valdez, MSc, PhD​

Dr. William Valdez is a Senior Technical Advisor for the Data Impact program in Peru for Vital Strategies, under the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Data for Health initiative. ​

Aravinda Wickramasinghe, MD, MSc​

Dr. Aravinda Wickramasinghe is a Medical Officer attached to the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. He was also one of the Data Impact Coordinators for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Data for Health Initiative in Sri Lanka.​