Monday 26th November 2025
by inAfrika Newsroom
A new Africa climate health report has warned that heatwaves, floods and shifting rainfall patterns are driving higher health risks across the continent, from vector-borne diseases to malnutrition. Launched this week in Kampala by a coalition of public-health and climate experts, the assessment argues that many African health systems remain badly under-prepared for climate shocks. It calls for governments to put health impacts at the centre of climate adaptation plans, not treat them as secondary concerns.
The Africa climate health analysis highlights rising exposure to extreme heat in cities, expanded habitats for malaria-carrying mosquitoes and more frequent floods that contaminate water supplies. Moreover, it notes that droughts and erratic seasons are undermining food security, which in turn worsens child stunting and weakens immune systems. Researchers say these trends could reverse hard-won gains on maternal and child mortality unless countries act faster to climate-proof clinics, supply chains and surveillance systems.
The report urges investments in early-warning systems that integrate weather and disease data, as well as stronger cross-border cooperation on epidemic preparedness. In addition, it recommends expanding cooling centres and shade infrastructure in urban areas, scaling up climate-resilient primary healthcare, and training health workers on climate-linked risks. Donors are encouraged to align climate finance with health priorities, rather than focusing only on energy and infrastructure projects.
Authors of the Africa climate health report argue that national adaptation plans should include clear targets for reducing climate-sensitive disease burdens. They also want ministries of health to play a larger role in climate negotiations and project screening, so that new investments protect vulnerable groups. Consequently, the report frames health as both a victim of climate change and a major co-benefit of ambitious mitigation and adaptation policies.
Putting health at the centre of climate policy can make the crisis more tangible for African citizens and leaders. People feel heatwaves, disease outbreaks and food price spikes long before they read emissions charts. When adaptation projects strengthen clinics, clean water access and disease surveillance, they save lives today while building resilience for future shocks. Framing climate action through an Africa climate health lens may also unlock new funding streams, since it links global climate goals with immediate public-health and development priorities that voters understand.
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