Democratic Republic of Congo: Researchers plot maps, collect data to fight future infectious disease outbreaks
By Salem Solomon
With the Democratic Republic of Congo facing its second major Ebola outbreak this year, emergency responders have worked to contain the spread of the disease. Scientists, meanwhile, are testing the effectiveness of experimental vaccines in the field.
Alongside these efforts, researchers in the DRC are collecting data that will improve how we respond to, and prevent, future outbreaks of Ebola and other infectious diseases.
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Anne Rimoin [an associate professor of epidemiology at the UCLA School of Public Health] said the Health Research and Training Program in Kinshasa uses a mix of high-tech solutions and local knowledge. The group analyzes satellite imagery to understand the terrain and population centers in the DRC. But they also rely on insights from residents to compile a more accurate and complete data set.
These data-collection tools allow Rimoin’s team to figure out not just boundaries but human activities, including traffic flows and health centers.
They plot important landmarks like roads, rivers and health centers. They also track exposure to health care workers and people who have been vaccinated to compare them to other populations, building a more complete understanding of how prevention drugs work.
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