8  Fetch Data

The primary data source for future updates to the Africa CDC Research Information Gateway is Pandemic PACT, a repository of global funding sources and research projects on diseases with pandemic potential.

8.1 Downloading the Latest Data

Pandemic PACT data can be downloaded from figshare. The data is updated monthly and contains comprehensive pandemic-related surveillance information.

  1. Navigate to the figshare link
  2. Click the ‘Switch View’ button in the lower left of the figshare window to change to ‘File View’
  3. Download both the most recent data file (typically named “PACT_Data_YYYY_MM.csv”) and the most recent data dictionary (typically named “PACT_Dictionary_YYYY_MM.pdf”)
  4. The most recent data present in this database was updated on 02/2025 data, data dictionary

8.1.1 Notes

  • Date fields are formatted as YYYY-MM-DD
  • Missing values are represented as “NA” or as “”
  • Regional codes follow the standard PACT format (refer to the data dictionary)