Building sustainable public health data science and informatics capacity: possibilities for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Abstract

Prevention, detection, and response to pandemic-prone diseases involve collecting, analyzing, and applying data swiftly at scale. Achieving these goals requires adequate information technology and a skilled public health workforce capable of translating data into action. While public health informatics and data science programs are established in parts of the Western world, Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) face significant gaps in educational pathways. This study mapped the educational and labor market structures in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Moldova, identified barriers to training and retaining professionals in public health informatics and data science, and proposed sustainable models for integrating training into national systems. A mixed-methods approach included a review of 111 policy and regulatory documents, labor-market analysis, 147 semistructured interviews, seven focus groups, and two expert workshops (n = 72) that validated findings and prioritized policy options. Although all three countries demonstrate strategic commitment to digital transformation, investment in human capital remains insufficient. Educational programs are isolated, with no accredited degrees in these professions, and accreditation processes delay educational innovations. Employers lack awareness of the value of these professions, and salary gaps between the health and information technology sectors, as well as between public and private sectors, weaken workforce retention. The absence of occupational recognition in national regulations further constrains workforce development. Stakeholders endorsed modular, competency-based training-integrated into Master of Public Health programs and in-service certificates-as the most feasible way to scale capacity. Building a sustainable workforce requires short-term measures such as problem-based and continuing training, along with long-term policies that (i) prioritize human capital development in national digital health strategies, (ii) adjust educational and occupational classifications, (iii) modernize accreditation processes for modular credentialing, and (iv) align incentives to attract and retain talent. Together, these actions could enable EECA health systems to harness digital innovation for better health outcomes.