Nairobi, Kenya | Geospatial analytics | Climate and health

Geospatial evidencefor climate resilient health systems.

I use satellite imagery, GIS, spatial epidemiology and reproducible Python workflows to map climate sensitive health risks. My work connects heat, flooding, WASH, settlement change, health facility access and population vulnerability. I translate complex spatial data into clear maps, datasets, manuscripts and decision products for research, implementation and policy teams.

ClimateHeat, flood and environmental exposure analytics
GISRemote sensing, spatial statistics and map production
HealthPopulation health, WASH and health systems evidence

Research identity

Health systems researcher with a geospatial spine.

My work sits at the intersection of climate science, environmental exposure assessment, population health and implementation evidence. I build reproducible workflows that move from raw satellite and surveillance data to publication ready outputs, technical reports, dashboards and decision products.

Current work focuses on climate and health analytics in East Africa, including extreme heat, flood exposure, WASH resilience, peri urban transition, health service accessibility, surveillance data systems and operational decision support.

Research design

Clear questions, defensible methods and outputs aligned to publication and implementation needs.

Technical delivery

Python, Earth Engine and GIS workflows that are documented, reproducible and ready to hand over.

Communication

Maps, figures, narratives and dashboards that make complex analysis understandable to decision makers.

Research interests and skills

Current work areas

Research areas spanning climate hazards, environmental exposure mapping, spatial epidemiology and health systems planning.

Thermometer showing high temperature during a heat wave
Heat

Extreme heat and priority populations

Subnational heat hazard, exposure burden and vulnerability mapping for pregnant women, children under five and older adults.

Copernicus Sentinel 1 flood extent image near Beira, Mozambique
Floods

Flood exposure and WASH resilience

Sentinel 1 flood metrics linked to Community Health Unit water, sanitation and longitudinal surveillance indicators.

Sentinel 2 satellite model
Remote sensing

Settlement and land cover change

Multi proxy classification of peri urban transition using Sentinel, nighttime lights, WorldPop and open geospatial layers.

Public health laboratory work in Kenya
Health systems

Digital health and service access

Travel time, catchment modeling, DHIS2 aligned analytics and evidence products for health systems planning.

Software and methods

Technical toolkit

Core tools for reproducible geospatial analysis, satellite data processing, health information systems, visualization and deployment.

Python logo

Python

Analysis, modeling and reproducible workflows.

Google Earth Engine logo

Google Earth Engine

Satellite data processing and zonal statistics.

QGIS logo

QGIS

Spatial data management and cartography.

Google Colab logo

Google Colab

Notebook based analysis and collaboration.

Jupyter logo

Jupyter

Interactive notebooks and documentation.

pandas logo

pandas

Data cleaning, merging and reshaping.

NumPy logo

NumPy

Numerical computing and arrays.

DHIS2 logo

DHIS2

Health information systems and dashboards.

Docker logo

Docker

Containerized data systems and deployment.

PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Relational databases for analytical systems.

Featured portfolio

Selected current and applied projects

Applied research and implementation work across climate analytics, health systems, geospatial modeling and surveillance data systems.

Copernicus Sentinel image showing drought impacts in Kenya and the Horn of Africa

Environment, climate and health

Climate GIS

Climate exposure mapping and decision support

Spatial epidemiology, satellite derived exposure metrics, facility analytics and decision ready products for climate resilient health systems.

Makuyuni Ward landscape in Monduli District, Arusha Region, Tanzania

Arusha and Monduli, Tanzania

Climate health cohort

Community based climate, WASH and nutrition surveillance

Baseline household survey to inform longitudinal surveillance of climate sensitive health, WASH, food security, nutrition, maternal and child health, anthropometry and hemoglobin outcomes in Northern Tanzania.

Ifo II camp in Dadaab, Kenya, representing refugee hosting borderland settings

Dadaab and Kakuma Kalobeyei

Climate, conflict and health

PREPARE CC Kenya case study

Mixed methods research on how climate shocks, conflict, displacement and fragile health systems interact to shape women’s and children’s health in Kenya’s refugee hosting borderlands.

Community health worker in Tanzania using a tablet during community based health service delivery

Demographic surveillance systems

Surveillance

Verbal autopsy data management and analysis

Data management and analytical workflows for mortality surveillance, community health learning and health systems decision support.

NASA Earth at night image representing nighttime lights and geospatial hotspot mapping

Geostatistical consulting

Hotspots

Geostatistical hotspot mapping

Hotspot mapping, spatial analytics and dashboard oriented support for program design, targeting and inclusion planning.

Hospital facility in Kenya representing service access and facility coverage analysis

Facility coverage and access

Access

Health facility coverage and accessibility analysis

Catchment logic, travel time and facility coverage analysis to support service planning and implementation decisions.

Collaborators and research network

Selected collaborators and senior research links

Research links across global child health, evidence synthesis, population health, environmental health and climate health analytics.

Global child health

Prof Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

Maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition and global health evidence.

Google Scholar

Evidence synthesis

Prof Jai K. Das

Public health, systematic reviews, implementation research and child health.

ORCID

Population health

Prof Anthony K. Ngugi

Epidemiology, health information systems, community health and maternal and child health research.

Google Scholar

Environmental health

Dr Fredrick O. Gudda

Environmental exposures, climate and health analytics and applied epidemiological research.

Google Scholar

Publications and preprints

Selected outputs

Recent work and selected earlier publications across climate exposure, WASH resilience and geographic access to health services.

2026

Thirty five years of accelerating heat stress in Kenya

Oluoch FF, Gudda F, Makena P, et al. Subnational patterns of hazard, exposure burden and vulnerability in priority populations. Preprint.

DOI

Subnational heat stress analysis focused on hazard patterns, exposure burden and priority population vulnerability across Kenya.

2026

A longitudinal multi proxy geospatial classification of peri urban transitions

Makena P, Oluoch FF, Gudda F, Keter A, Iseme-Ondiek R, Das J, Bhutta Z, Ngugi A. Community Health Units in coastal Kenya. Preprint.

DOI

Multi proxy classification of peri urban transition using publicly available geospatial data across Community Health Units.

2025

Longitudinal assessment of flood impacts on water and sanitation resilience

Oluoch FF, Gudda F, Iseme-Ondiek RA, Keter A, Odhiambo R, Das J, Bhutta Z, Ngugi AK. Satellite based evidence from Community Health Units in Kilifi, Kenya. Preprint.

DOI

Sentinel 1 flood exposure analysis linked to WASH resilience indicators at Community Health Unit level.

2023

Comorbidities associated with increased risk of death among children aged 2 to 59 months with severe pneumonia in Western Kenya

Akoo TK, Awandu SS, Oluoch F, Kemunto L, Ochung A, Ayodo G. African Journal of Health Sciences.

DOI
2020

Computing the geographic extent of maternity health services to predict skilled delivery utilization

Oluoch F, Ayodo G, Owino F, Okuto E. European Scientific Journal.

DOI
2020

Modeling the impact of traveling time on the utilization of maternity services

Oluoch F, Ayodo G, Owino F, Okuto E. American Journal of Geographic Information System.

DOI

Contact

Open to collaborative climate, environment and health research.

For collaboration, training, data analysis, manuscript development or geospatial evidence products, reach me through email or LinkedIn.

oluoch.felix@aku.edu felix.oluoch@gmail.com +254 733 992 915 +254 720 292 971