Data to
Policy
Program Expectations
Potential participants should apply to the program with a viable policy topic within their area of expertise and of priority to the government. Applicants should have access to local data describing the burden of the health problem targeted by the policy brief, knowledge about current interventions or approaches to the health problem in the country, and ideas about policy options to address it. Each policy topic must have a senior government sponsor who will work with the participant or team to advance policy recommendations in the brief after course completion. The Ministry of Health, together with partners at CDC and Vital Strategies, will assist in screening and selecting participants for the program. Following selection into the program, participants can expect to be involved with the D2P training program for a total of 10 to 12 weeks, which will include an Orientation Day, Online Course, Bootcamp (in some countries), and a two-week In-Class Session (see approximate timeline below).
About the Course
Many low- and middle-income countries struggle to use public health data to inform policy decisions. This is partially due to a shortage of epidemiologists and other public health staff with specialized health policy-writing and communication skills, as well as the lack of a forum in which to share scientific findings. The Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative is providing technical assistance in 20 low- and middle-income countries worldwide to build their capacity to use scientific data to guide and support health policy development and health program decision-making. The Data to Policy (D2P) training program comprises one component of this initiative. Led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New York-based nonprofit Vital Strategies, D2P involves collaboration with ministries of health to expand their use of data in policy-making.
Online Course
Either individually or as a class, participants will have approximately four weeks to watch seven online modules. Each module has an associated quiz that must be completed individually with all questions answered correctly; however, quizzes can be taken as many times as needed.
Mentors may work in-person with trainees to revise the Data to Policy: Pre-Course Deliverables document to ensure the policy problem is well-defined, that data needs are clear, root causes are clearly identified, and policy options are viable.
Bootcamp
(in some countries)
This workshop takes place in-country to review the course in detail with all selected participants. Expectations will be reviewed in terms of time commitment and outputs from participants. At this point, participants will be expected to commit to the program completely.
Orientation Day
Final Check
At this point, the final draft of the Data to Policy: Pre-Course Deliverables document must be submitted by all groups to their respective mentors for a last review.
Participants who satisfactorily complete the Data to Policy: Pre-Course Deliverables document are eligible to continue with the two-week in-class portion of D2P. During this time, they will develop and present their new policy briefs.
In-Class Training
Participants work with mentors to revice Pre Course Deliverables
