Addressing infectious diseases in Africa by accelerating drug discovery through data science

Despite being rich in natural resources and scientific talent, Africa continues to bear a staggering infectious disease burden. Historically, health innovation on the continent has relied on international funding and has been constrained by limited infrastructure and the emigration of skilled professionals. Data science tools offer a promising alternative, typically requiring fewer costly resources than traditional empirical research, with the potential to empower African scientists to generate tangible and impactful health solutions for the continent. Rapid progress in data science is expected to transform infectious disease research; thus, it is encouraging that numerous African initiatives are already applying data science tools to tackling pressing unmet medical needs, particularly in drug discovery. These efforts include identifying novel therapeutic targets, predicting drug-like molecules and their synthesis, enhancing clinical trial success rates and preparing for future disease threats. This review examines the current landscape of data science in infectious disease drug discovery across Africa.