The Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS) is organizing the annual closing workshop for the He2at-Côte d’Ivoire Project, Year 5, on June 3 and 4, 2026, in Abidjan. The workshop is titled: “Developing Data Science Solutions to Mitigate the Impacts of Climate Change on Health in Africa: The He2at Center.”

Initiated by a consortium of partners in the United States and Africa, and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this program is implemented through two research projects. WP1 aims to use innovative data science approaches to quantify the current and future impacts of heat exposure on maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa.

RP2, meanwhile, aims to improve understanding of the interactions between heat and health in African cities, particularly in Abidjan. In Côte d’Ivoire, the project teams are based at Péléforo Gon Coulibaly University in Korhogo.

This workshop aims, in particular, to take stock of the activities carried out in Côte d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe, and South Africa as part of the consortium, focusing on three main areas: training, community engagement, and research and data collection, following the completion of the RP1 and RP2 projects.

It also offers an opportunity for the consortium’s researchers (doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and senior researchers) to present the results of their work and to discuss the findings with key stakeholders in Côte d’Ivoire and representatives from other institutions.

The Director General of the CSRS, Prof. Koné Inza, noted that Africa is currently facing rapid environmental changes that directly affect health systems, livelihoods, and the well-being of populations.

According to him, rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and risks related to air and water quality require innovative responses based on reliable data and interdisciplinary approaches.

“This is precisely the ambition of the He2at Center: to mobilize data science, artificial intelligence, epidemiology, environmental science, and the social sciences to generate knowledge useful for decision-making and the development of solutions tailored to African realities,” stated Prof. Koné Inza.

He emphasized that, since its creation, the He2at Center has established itself as a model platform for collaboration between African and international institutions. It has contributed to building the capacity of many young researchers, fostered the development of innovative projects, and created an environment conducive to the co-creation of solutions to emerging public health and climate change challenges.

The Director General of the CSRS also expressed his gratitude to the communities that agreed to collaborate with the researchers and participate in the project’s various activities, particularly the residents of Williamsville and Port-Bouët, whose contribution was essential to generating knowledge and validating the approaches developed as part of the program.

Prof. Vanga Adja Ferdinand, representing the president of Péléforo Gon Coulibaly University in Korhogo, Prof. Coulibaly Aoua Sougo, noted that the results of the He2at project have led to the development of early warning systems aimed at reducing vulnerability and strengthening resilience to extreme heat events in African cities, particularly in Abidjan.

In his view, the issue of climate change and its effects on lifestyles, health, and the environment has become a global priority.

“Faced with this issue of global concern—indeed, this global emergency—Péléforo Gon Coulibaly University is delighted, as the only French-speaking academic institution involved in this program, to contribute, in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Scientific Research in Côte d’Ivoire, to the search for appropriate responses to climate and health challenges, alongside leading research institutions,” he stated, congratulating the project team based at Péléforo Gon Coulibaly University and the CSRS.

For the coordinator of the He2at project, Prof. Cissé Guéladio, the issue of heat affects all populations. According to him, its impact varies depending on housing and living conditions. “This project has a strong research training component. We have six doctoral students, three postdoctoral researchers, and three senior researchers responsible for supervising them,” he noted, adding that this project addresses an issue that affects everyone, far beyond Côte d’Ivoire alone.

Fratmat.info