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Department of Archaeology

 

This project aims to improve the poor integration of localized data linking various WASH dimensions (infrastructure, access, practices) and children nutritional status at the population level as well as the poor involvement of policy makers concerned with WASH in local and country level nutritional programs. Our network aims include:

1. To develop capacity on the collection of standardized WASH and nutrition data through different methods (surveys, health care facilities, crowdsourced mobile app data, satellite imagery, and weather data) and on advanced data analysis tools (machine learning and geospatial mapping techniques).

2. To apply machine learning (i.e. neural networks, cluster algorithms, and predictive regression algorithms) and geospatial mapping tools to existing data in Burkina Faso, South Africa, and Guatemala to generate site-specific predictive algorithms on the risk of children undernutrition and diarrhoea by integrating environmental, WASH, household socio-demographic, economic, and food security data, and other carefully selected factors.

3. To conduct a pilot study in Burkina Faso deploying crowdsourced mobile data (developed as part of the Grand Challenge Africa WASH project in South Africa) and satellite imagery to geospatially map WASH facilities conditions and the associated spatial gradient of children undernutrition and diarrhoea.

Team Members

Principal Investigators:

Dr Palwende Romuald Boua (PhD)

Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro

Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé/DRCO

 

  • Dr Rihlat Said Mohamed (PhD)

Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge

SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand

 

Co-Investigators:

  • Dr Douglas Momberg (PhD)

SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

School of Clinical Medicine

Faculty of Health Sciences

University of the Witwatersrand

 

  • Dr. Lee Voth Gaeddert (PhD)

SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

School of Clinical Medicine

Faculty of Health Sciences

University of the Witwatersrand

 

  • Prof. Alastair van Heerden (PhD)

SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit

School of Clinical Medicine

Faculty of Health Sciences

University of the Witwatersrand

 

  • Prof. Julian May (PhD)

DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security

University of the Western Cape

 

  • Prof. Shane Norris (PhD)

DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development

SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit

School of Clinical Medicine

Faculty of Health Sciences

University of the Witwatersrand

 

Senior Research Assistants:

  • Ms Bongiwe Nkambule

SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit

School of Clinical Medicine

Faculty of Health Sciences

University of the Witwatersrand

 

  • M. Elie Rouamba

Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro

Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé/DRCO

Funder

Academy of Medical Sciences

Project Tags

Themes: 
Science, Technology and Innovation
Environment, Landscapes and Settlement
Human Evolutionary Studies
Geographical areas: 
Africa
Americas
Research Expertise / Fields of study: 
Human Population Biology and Health
Built Environment
Field Methods
Subjects: 
Biological Anthropology
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