Data to Policy Mentorship Program 2026

Important Dates:

Application Deadline | 27th February 2026
Notification of Shortlisted Candidates | 13th March 2026
Program Start Date | 23rd March 2026
Policy Forum & Dissemination Event | During the 12th Zambia Health Research Conference 2026

D2P 2025 Cohort Application Form

The 2026 Data to Policy Program:
Enhancing Public Health Decision-Making through Civil Registration and Mortality Data

  • The National Health Research Authority (NHRA) operates under a core mandate of Research Promotion, Regulation, Coordination, Capacity Building, and Knowledge Translation (KT). Central to its KT mandate is the mission to bridge the gap between evidence and action by building capacity in the development of evidence-based products and advocating for their use in policymaking.

    To directly fulfill this strategic objective, the NHRA, with support from the Bloomberg Data for Health Initiative, delivers the annual Data to Policy (D2P) Programme. This is a comprehensive, skills-based training designed to equip public health professionals with the advanced competencies needed to transform complex data into high-impact policy recommendations.

    Following strategic discussions in 2023 with key partners, including the CDC Foundation and the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship (DNRPC), the NHRA identified Civil Registration and Mortality (CRVS) data as a vast and underutilized evidence base for public health decision-making. In response, the 2024 and 2026 Data to Policy Programs have been dedicated to this critical area, tasking participants with leveraging mortality and cause-of-death data to formulate actionable, evidence-based policy briefs for ministerial consideration, thereby directly strengthening health policy formulation in Zambia

  • Mortality and cause-of-death statistics provide a critical snapshot of a nation's health. This program will equip participants to leverage this vital evidence base to formulate policy briefs for ministerial consideration, thereby directly strengthening health policy formulation or improvement in Zambia. Participants will gain sanctioned access to national mortality data to analyze and translate into evidence-based action.

  • Upon successful completion of the program, participants will have achieved the following:

    • Enhanced Technical Capacity: Advanced skills in data analysis, interpretation, and the translation of mortality data into compelling, evidence-based policy briefs.

    • Actionable Policy Products: Production of targeted policy briefs that provide actionable recommendations to line ministries on priority public health issues identified through mortality data.

    • Effective Dissemination: Strategic presentation and dissemination of policy briefs and findings to key stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, and the media, through tailored channels and high-level forums.

    • Sustainable Mentorship Network: Establishment of a robust, multi-level mentorship network through the certification of national trainers (mentors and health economists) to ensure the program's long-term impact.

  • We invite applications from dedicated public health professionals committed to bridging the gap between data and policy. The program is ideal for:

    • Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) residents and graduates.

    • Public health professionals from government and private sectors.

    • Data analysts and researchers focused on public health.

    If you are ready to help transform mortality data into a powerful tool for public health decision-making, we encourage you to apply.

  • Under its Knowledge Translation mandate, the NHRA, with support from the Bloomberg Data for Health Initiative, is launching the 2026 Data to Policy (D2P) Program. This intensive, year-long mentorship program is designed to equip public health professionals with the advanced skills to transform complex data into actionable policy recommendations.

    For the 2026 cohort, the program will have a strategic focus on Civil Registration and Mortality Data (CRVS) and will also incorporate looking at the data through a gender lens. This data is a cornerstone of public health, essential for understanding disease burden, targeting interventions, and evaluating health programs. This program aims to leverage on civil registration and mortality data to make policy recommendations for improved health outcomes.

  • The program is designed to produce concrete, high-impact outputs that directly contribute to evidence-based policymaking in Zambia. The key deliverables are:

    • Policy Briefs: A portfolio of rigorously researched, evidence-based policy briefs. These briefs will analyze specific priority issues identified within Zambia's mortality and cause-of-death data and provide actionable recommendations to relevant line ministries (e.g., Ministry of Health, Ministry of Local Government) for improving public health outcomes and data systems.

    • Stakeholder Presentation & Dissemination:

      • Formal presentation of the policy briefs to senior officials in key line ministries and institutions and the community for direct feedback and consideration.

      • Presentation of findings to high-level decision-makers, including at the Ministerial Cabinet Liaison Committee.

      • Dissemination of results to a wider audience of researchers, policymakers, and media at a national Policy Forum and selected international conferences.

    • A Sustainable Mentorship Framework: The certification of a cohort of national trainers (comprising mentors and health economists). This establishes a sustainable, multi-level network to ensure the continued capacity for data-to-policy translation beyond the life of the program.

    • A Skilled Cohort of Professionals: A group of public health professionals equipped with advanced, practical skills in data analysis, interpretation, and the translation of complex mortality data into compelling policy arguments.

  • To enable participation from a wide range of professionals, the program offers tiered sponsorship:

    • Full Sponsorships are available for selected individuals from public entities. This comprehensive sponsorship covers all costs associated with participation, including training materials, transport logistics, meals, and conference facilities for all in-person sessions.

    • Partial Sponsorships are available for participants from public & private establishments. This sponsorship covers training materials, meals and conference facilities for the in-person sessions.

Important Dates:
Application Deadline:  27th February 2026
Notification of Shortlisted Candidates: 13th March 2026
Program Start Date: 23rd March 2026
Policy Forum & Dissemination Event: During the 12th Zambia Health Research Conference 2026

Email your applications to: nsanzya.mambo@nhra.com

For more information get in touch with us here: +26 0979006153

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 COHORT ARE NOW OPEN!

Take the next step in your career and help shape the future of evidence-based health policy in Zambia.