Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Amid rising concerns over climate change and its mounting impact on Africa’s health systems, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has launched a new strategic framework to help countries respond to these threats.
Unveiled during a webinar on Wednesday, the new framework highlights how rising temperatures, extreme weather events, worsening air quality, and changing disease patterns — including the spread of cholera and malaria — are already affecting millions across the continent.
“Climate change is one of the biggest public health challenges of our time,” said Africa CDC Director-General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, during the event.
He warned that unchecked climate change could lead to 14.5 million additional deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses globally by 2050, stressing that “it is not just an environmental problem; it is a health emergency.”
The framework, which forms part of the Africa CDC 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, outlines seven core principles—including the One Health Approach, cross-sectoral partnerships, sustained investment, advanced technology, community engagement, transparency, and equity—to guide African Union Member States.
“This framework is more than a document. It is a continental imperative and a call to action,” Dr. Kaseya said, adding that it provides a clear pathway to build climate-resilient health systems and protect vulnerable populations from threats like malaria, cholera, and extreme weather events.
Reacting to the launch, public health expert Dr. Gabriel Adakole described the strategy as timely and vital for nations like Nigeria facing floods, heatwaves, and food insecurity.
“This roadmap helps us prepare for climate-linked diseases, build stronger surveillance systems, and protect people in disaster-prone areas,” he noted.
Dr. Adakole urged Nigeria to align fully with the framework to boost disaster preparedness and deliver more inclusive and sustainable public health responses as climate-driven health risks escalate across the continent.
