Authors: Danielly de P. Magalhães1*†, Cecilia Sorensen1,2†,Nicola Hamacher1, Haley Campbell1, Hannah N. W. Weinstein1, Patrick O. Owili3, Alex R. Ario4,5, Glory M. E. Nja6,7,8, Charles A. Michael9, Yewande Alimi9, Hervé Hien4, Woldekidan Amde6,10, Sokhna Thiam11, Vincent Pagiwa12, Shawn M. D’Andrea13, Caroline M. Gichuki14, Marian Offei6, Joanes Atela15, Sean M. Patrick6,16, Bruce Struminger17,18 and Margaret Kaseje6
Climate change is widely recognized as one of the most significant global health threats of the 21st century, with profound implications for morbidity, mortality, and health systems worldwide (1). The African continent, despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the most vulnerable and least prepared regions to cope with climate-related health impacts. To build climate-resilient health systems in Africa, there is an urgent need to equip health professionals with the knowledge and skills to understand, communicate, and respond to climate-related health threats.
While nearly 20% of the global population lives in Africa, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) estimates it produces less than 10% of global emissions (2). At the same time, Africa bears a disproportionate burden of risks related to public health, agriculture, migration, conflict, and economic and infrastructural development in the face of climate change (3). Extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and cyclones have intensified in frequency and severity, exacerbating existing health inequities across the region.
In September 2023, Mediterranean Cyclone Storm Daniel provided a glimpse into the continent’s future, resulting in widespread destructive flooding, 11,000 confirmed casualties, and approximately 20,000 people affected (4). Additionally, 2023 was one of the hottest years in Africa and was the warmest year on record in many countries, according to 124 years of historical temperature data (3). Droughts, driven by extreme temperatures, continue to exacerbate food insecurity and adversely affect vulnerable populations’ health in Africa. In Ethiopia alone, nearly 16 million people are food insecure due to drought, floods, desert locusts, COVID-19, conflict, and economic shocks (5). In the Horn of Africa, over 30 million people faced drought-related food insecurity between 2020 and 2022 (6).