Africa has taken a significant step toward strengthening evidence-based responses to the growing health impacts of climate change with the launch of a new continent-wide consortium designed to connect science, policy and public health action.

The Climate and Health Science and Policy Consortium in Africa, launched in Accra, Ghana, brings together researchers, policymakers, public health experts and community organisations to generate African-led evidence that can better inform climate and health policies across the continent. The initiative is supported by the Wellcome Trust and reflects growing recognition that climate change is rapidly becoming one of Africa's most pressing public health challenges. 

The consortium arrives at a time when African countries are experiencing increasingly severe climate-related health threats, including rising malaria transmission, cholera outbreaks linked to flooding, prolonged droughts, food insecurity, heat stress and worsening air pollution. Although Africa contributes only a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains among the regions most vulnerable to the health consequences of climate change. 

Rather than focusing solely on scientific research, the new platform aims to close one of the continent's most persistent gaps: translating research findings into practical policies that governments can use to strengthen health systems and protect vulnerable populations.

Professor David Asamoah, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said Africa has an opportunity to lead through knowledge, innovation and coordinated action.

"The evidence is clear, the risks are growing, and the cost of inaction is far too high," he said, adding that stronger coordination between science, policy, financing and implementation will be essential to tackling climate-related health challenges. 

The consortium intends to support locally led research, strengthen climate and disease early warning systems, improve access to climate-health data and generate evidence that can guide investment decisions across sectors including health, agriculture, urban planning and disaster preparedness. 

Experts involved in the initiative argue that one of Africa's greatest challenges is not the lack of scientific knowledge but the shortage of locally generated evidence that policymakers can readily apply.

Dr. Brama Koné of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa noted that climate-health research continues to be constrained by limited access to reliable environmental and health data, particularly outside major urban centres. While satellite technology has improved data availability, significant information gaps remain across many vulnerable communities. 

The consortium also seeks to strengthen Africa's voice in global climate negotiations by producing robust evidence that supports national adaptation plans and continental policy positions.

Dr. Ama Essel, Lead Negotiator on Health with the African Group of Negotiators to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, emphasized the importance of generating quantified evidence that helps governments prioritise investments and shape national climate strategies.

Similarly, Africa CDC's One Health Unit Lead, Dr. Yewande Alimi, called for research that directly answers policy questions, from where health infrastructure should be strengthened to how countries should prioritise vaccines, disease surveillance and climate-resilient health systems. 

Photo courtesy: Google

https://gna.org.gh/2026/07/consortium-to-strengthen-africas-climate-health-research-launched/