The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has unveiled a strategic framework to tackle the growing health impacts of climate change on the continent.
Speaking during the official launch held via a webinar on Wednesday, Africa CDC Director-General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, described climate change as one of the most urgent public health threats facing Africa today. He noted that the effects are already being felt, as the continent grapples with rising temperatures, extreme weather events, changing disease patterns, food insecurity, and a surge in waterborne illnesses.
Citing findings from a review of over 2,000 public health events between 2001 and 2021, Kaseya revealed that 56 per cent were directly linked to climate change. He warned that, globally, climate change could lead to an estimated 14.5 million additional deaths, more than two billion lost healthy life years, and economic losses reaching $12.5 trillion by 2050.
To respond to this crisis, Africa CDC’s new framework presents a comprehensive, evidence-based roadmap to address the intersection between climate and health. It focuses on strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing collaboration across sectors, and building climate-resilient health systems and communities in all African Union Member States.
Dr. Kaseya emphasized that the framework is grounded in seven guiding principles: the One Health Approach, Partnerships and Collaborations, Sustained Investment, Advanced Technology and Infrastructure, Community Engagement, Accountability and Transparency, and Equity and Inclusion.
“These principles are designed to empower policymakers, health professionals, and communities to better anticipate, adapt to, and mitigate the health impacts of climate change,” he said.
The framework also calls for strong political commitment, innovative financing, and the deployment of cutting-edge technologies to monitor climate-related health risks and ensure timely responses to emerging threats.
Kaseya urged African governments, development partners, and stakeholders to align their efforts and pool resources to combat climate-induced health challenges. He noted that the launch of the framework comes at a pivotal time as the continent faces increasing threats to health security due to global warming.
He added that this new initiative complements the Africa CDC’s broader One Health Strategy and the 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, both aimed at strengthening Africa’s public health infrastructure.
