Gaps and Opportunities for Data Systems and Economics to Support Priority Setting for Climate-Sensitive Infectious Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Rapid Scoping Review

Climate change alters risks associated with climate-sensitive infectious diseases (CSIDs) with pandemic potential. This poses additional threats to already vulnerable populations, further amplified by intersecting social factors, such as gender and socioeconomic status. Currently, critical evidence gaps and inadequate institutional and governance mechanisms impact on the ability for African States to prevent, detect and respond to CSIDs. The aim of this study was to explore the role of data systems and economics to support priority setting for CSID preparedness in sub-Saharan Africa.

We conducted a rapid scoping review to identify existing knowledge and gaps relevant to economics and data systems. A literature search was performed across six bibliographic databases in November 2023. A list of 14 target pathogens, identified by the World Health Organization as Public Health Emergencies of International Concern or R&D Blueprint Pathogens, was adopted and compared to a database of CSIDs to determine relevant inclusion criteria. Extracted data were synthesised using bibliometric analysis, thematic topic categorisation, and narrative synthesis to identify research needs, evidence gaps, and opportunities for priority setting.

We identified 68 relevant studies. While African author involvement has been increasing since 2010, few studies were led by senior authors from African institutions. Data system studies (n = 50) showed broad coverage across CSIDs and the WHO AFRO region but also a high degree of heterogeneity, indicating a lack of clearly defined standards for data systems related to pandemic preparedness. Economic studies (n = 18) primarily focused on COVID-19 and Ebola and mostly originated from South Africa. Both data system and economic studies identified limited data sharing across sectors and showed a notable absence of gender sensitivity analyses. These significant gaps highlight important opportunities to support priority setting and decision-making for pandemic preparedness, ultimately leading to more equitable health outcomes.