Training on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Public Health and Epidemiology

This course equips participants with the knowledge and practical skills to leverage Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in public health and epidemiology. Participants will learn how to collect, manage, and analyze spatial health data to identify disease patterns, monitor outbreaks, and assess healthcare accessibility. The training emphasizes using GIS for data-driven decision-making and evidence-based planning to improve public health interventions.

Through hands-on exercises and real-world case studies, participants will explore spatial analysis techniques, mapping of disease hotspots, visualization of epidemiological data, and integration of GIS with health information systems. The course also covers the use of GIS for resource allocation, risk mapping, and planning targeted interventions to optimize health outcomes and strengthen health systems.

By the end of this 10-day program, participants will be able to design, implement, and interpret GIS-based health analyses, create compelling visualizations for stakeholders, and apply geospatial insights to inform public health policies, improve disease surveillance, and support strategic health program planning. Attendees will also gain skills in leveraging GIS tools for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting within public health contexts.

Duration
10 Days

Who Should Attend
• Public health professionals and epidemiologists
• Health program managers and planners
• Researchers and data analysts in health and development sectors
• Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) specialists
• Policy makers and government health officers
• NGOs and international organizations working on health projects

Organizational Impact

• Stronger capacity to track, monitor, and respond to disease outbreaks

• Improved planning and allocation of health resources and services

• Enhanced ability to demonstrate impact through spatial data visualization

• Evidence-based decision-making in health policy and programming

Individual Impact

• Practical skills in GIS tools for public health and epidemiology

• Improved ability to interpret spatial data for health planning

• Stronger analytical capacity in disease mapping and outbreak response

• Increased professional competitiveness in health and development fields

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the role of GIS in public health and epidemiology.

• Collect, manage, and analyze spatial health data.

• Create maps to visualize disease distribution and health services.

• Apply spatial analysis to track outbreaks and assess risk factors.

• Integrate GIS into health program planning, monitoring, and evaluation.

• Communicate findings effectively through spatial reports and dashboards.

Module 1: Introduction to GIS and Public Health

• Key GIS concepts and applications in health

• The role of spatial thinking in epidemiology

• Case Study: WHO’s use of GIS in mapping malaria prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa

Module 2: Fundamentals of Spatial Data

• Types and sources of spatial data (raster, vector, GPS, surveys)

• Coordinate systems and projections

• Collecting and cleaning health-related spatial data

• Case Study: Using satellite imagery to track environmental risk factors for dengue

Module 3: GIS Software Tools and Basics

• Overview of ArcGIS, QGIS, and open-source tools

• Importing and managing health data

• Practical exercise: Creating a base map of health facilities

Module 4: Mapping and Visualization Techniques

• Principles of effective health map design

• Symbolization, labeling, and thematic mapping

• Practical exercise: Mapping child immunization coverage

• Case Study: Polio eradication campaigns supported by GIS mapping in Nigeria

Module 5: Spatial Analysis for Epidemiology

• Disease hotspot and cluster detection

• Proximity analysis for health services

• Case Study: Cholera outbreak mapping and containment in Haiti

• Exercise: Identifying clusters in a simulated outbreak dataset

Module 6: GIS in Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Response

• Linking GIS with surveillance systems

• Real-time disease mapping and dashboards

• Case Study: GIS role in the COVID-19 Johns Hopkins global dashboard

• Exercise: Mapping an epidemic curve spatially

Module 7: Health Services Accessibility and Resource Allocation

• Mapping service coverage and underserved areas

• Travel time analysis for accessing care

• Case Study: Ebola treatment center placement in Sierra Leone and Liberia

• Simulation: Allocating resources during a regional outbreak

Module 8: Integrating GIS with Public Health Data Systems

• Combining GIS with survey and census data

• Linking GIS with monitoring and evaluation frameworks

• Exercise: Building an integrated health indicator map

• Case Study: UNICEF’s use of GIS to monitor maternal and child health in East Africa

Module 9: Communicating Results with GIS

• Turning maps into actionable information for decision-makers

• Dashboards, reports, and advocacy tools

• Group exercise: Preparing a GIS-based policy brief

• Case Study: Using GIS maps for HIV/AIDS program advocacy in South Africa

Module 10: Capstone Project and Action Planning

• Participants design a GIS-based health project from data collection to reporting

• Presentations of projects with peer and facilitator feedback

• Developing individual action plans for applying GIS in participants’ organizations

• Case Study: Integrating GIS into a malaria elimination strategy in Zanzibar