Driving Health Outcomes in Africa: ODIN Dissemination Plan & Stakeholder Mapping Tool for Wastewater Surveillance

The University of Oxford, through The Global Health Network, plays a pivotal role in the ODIN Wastewater Surveillance and ODIN-Mpox projects. These projects are focused on enhancing environmental surveillance to detect communicable diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. As part of this initiative, the Dissemination and Exploitation Plan and the ODIN Stakeholder Mapping Tool are key components aimed at increasing visibility, fostering collaboration, and ensuring effective application of research findings.

Dissemination and Exploitation Plan

The primary goal of the Dissemination and Exploitation Plan is to ensure that the findings and outputs from the ODIN projects reach a broad audience, from local communities to global policymakers. The plan outlines clear strategies for raising the profile of the projects, disseminating research outcomes, and promoting the uptake of results to support public health action across Africa.

Key Objectives:

• Disseminate project updates and research outcomes to stakeholders, policymakers, and communities to enhance awareness and engagement.
• Engage target audiences, including health professionals, researchers, and funders, through a mix of digital, local, and academic communication channels.
• Foster collaboration and broaden outreach across Africa and globally, ensuring that research findings lead to actionable solutions.

This dissemination effort is supported by a multidisciplinary communications team that employs multilingual resources and targeted engagement strategies to ensure effective and inclusive communication.

ODIN Stakeholder Mapping Tool for Wastewater Surveillance

A critical part of the ODIN initiative is the ODIN Stakeholder Mapping Tool, developed to assist in identifying and engaging the key stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of environmental surveillance systems. This tool is essential for tracking and addressing communicable diseases and AMR determinants in sub-Saharan Africa.

Adapted from the Mapping Tool for Applying Research to Policy and Practice for Health, this tool offers a systematic, step-by-step approach for stakeholder mapping. It helps in:

• Identification of relevant stakeholders
• Categorisation based on their influence and roles
• Engagement strategies for collaboration and decision-making

By facilitating meaningful collaboration, the tool plays a key role in ensuring that ODIN project results are swiftly adopted and effectively applied to strengthen public health systems. This approach aligns with global health goals, supporting the rapid uptake and sustainable application of research outcomes.

Together, the Dissemination and Exploitation Plan and the ODIN Stakeholder Mapping Tool are essential to ensuring that the insights gained from the ODIN projects have a broad and lasting impact on public health in Africa and beyond. Through targeted engagement and strategic communication, the ODIN initiative aims to create a collaborative environment that fosters informed decision-making and leads to sustainable health outcomes aligned with global health priorities.

Click below to download the full plan and tool for more information:

ODIN Dissemination and Exploitation Plan

ODIN Stakeholder Mapping Tool for Wastewater Surveillance