Empowering Malaria Control Through AI

Chuka University’s Center for Data Analytics and Modeling (CDAM) is hosting a hands-on workshop on “Malaria Risk Prediction in Kenya Using AI and Machine Learning Models in R” from 7th to 8th August 2025. This initiative, organized in collaboration with the AMMnet Kenya Chapter, aims to equip malaria modelers, statisticians, data scientists, public health researchers, policymakers, and health workers with practical skills in malaria modeling through advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence techniques.

The workshop represents a significant advancement in leveraging data science to address public health challenges and highlights Chuka University’s commitment to research excellence, innovation, and community-centered impact.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Henry Mutembei, officially opened the workshop. In his remarks, he commended CDAM for its impactful and action-oriented programming and reaffirmed the University’s dedication to supporting such initiatives. He also expressed sincere gratitude to AMMnet and the National Malaria Control Program for their invaluable partnership.

Prior to the workshop, members of AMMnet Kenya Chapter, the Faculty of Science and Technology, and representatives from the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) paid a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Henry Mutembei to discuss the objectives and anticipated impact of the initiative.

Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in a series of practical sessions. These included malaria data visualization in R without coding, conducted by Prof. Dennis Muriithi; exploratory data analysis (EDA) and visualization using real-life malaria datasets, facilitated by Dr. Mark Okongo and Mr. Lumumba Victor; and an introduction to artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in malaria modeling, presented by Dr. Edna Too and Mr. Lumumba Victor. Additionally, Prof. Muriithi provided expert guidance on the development of machine learning algorithms aimed at predicting malaria risk.