Is Africa ready to face climate change?

Not at research level: less than half of sub-Saharan Africa’s countries have produced any research on climate change and health.

When the rains fail anywhere in Africa, people know what comes next: dry riverbeds, empty granaries, and children weakened by hunger and diarrhoea. The signs are familiar but according to new research, these once-seasonal hardships are becoming more severe, more unpredictable, and more dangerous.

A paper published in PLOS One paints a sweeping picture of how climate change is rewriting the health story of sub-Saharan Africa. After analyzing 153 studies published over 24 years, the authors reach a stark conclusion: Africa is being hit harder than most regions, yet it has the least research, resources, and preparedness to cope with what’s coming.

“The impact of climate change is already apparent in SSA,” the authors write, pointing to rising extreme heat, worsening droughts, repeated flooding, and deteriorating water quality.

Behind the scientific language lie human stories of illness spreading through communities after floods, of crops withering under relentless heat, and of families forced from their homes by storms they never saw coming.

Waterborne diseases are among the fastest-growing threats. The review highlights “microbial and chemical water quality issues” that have triggered “infectious diseases such as cholera and diarrhea outbreaks” across multiple countries. These illnesses, once tied mainly to poor sanitation, are now being supercharged by climate extremes.

In clinics from Mozambique to Nigeria, health workers are treating more cases of heat exhaustion, malnutrition, and respiratory problems linked to prolonged dry seasons and dust-filled skies.

Yet even with these challenges, many aspects of the crisis remain invisible. Mental health impacts, climate anxiety, gender-based vulnerabilities, and displacement are among the least studied issues—despite being increasingly common on the ground.

Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and the poor face the greatest dangers. But the study found that these groups are not consistently included in scientific research.

“Thirty-eight studies did not consider vulnerability at all,” the authors report, even though climate impacts are “shaped by existing social, economic, and environmental inequalities.” This means some of the people most affected are missing from the data used to design policies—leaving governments without a full picture of who needs protection and how urgently.

One of the most surprising findings is how little research exists for such a vast and climate-sensitive region.

“Only 24 out of 53 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have published studies on climate change and health over the past 24 years,” the authors note, and many of those have fewer than five publications. Even more striking: most of the research that does exist was conducted without financial support.

“More than half of the studies reviewed were self-funded by researchers,” the paper states, revealing a deep funding gap that slows progress and limits innovation. Only seven studies were supported by African government agencies.

The authors issue an unmistakable warning: there is “an urgent need for accelerated climate change research in Africa,” as well as stronger policies, more local funding, and climate-prepared health systems to protect the continent’s one billion people.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

WHO Africa comes to the aid of Ethiopia as the country fights Marburg.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The inequitable distribution of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic was the final proof of the need for more home-grown manufacturing and regulatory capacity across Africa,” Nature Editorial on launch of the African Medicines Agency (AMA)

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Africa’s space science footprint still small but rising: Africa’s presence in global space-science research remains limited. The continent contributes just 3.2% of worldwide publications and 5% of citations. South Africa dominates the field, with Nigeria and Egypt following, together producing most of Africa’s scientific output. Researchers on the continent favor publishing in high-ranking journals, yet many African nations show minimal or no activity in the field. Notably, only Ethiopia and South Africa exceed the global average for research impact, signaling persistent gaps in funding, training, and infrastructure. [Reference, Earth and Space Science]

How land use impacts West African extremes? In the West African savanna, scientists found that cutting down trees (deforestation) is harmful to the climate, significantly increasing extreme heat and worsening droughts and the number of dry days. Conversely, planting trees (afforestation) generally helps with rainfall, leading to more precipitation and shorter droughts. Crucially, the impact on heat depends on the tree type: planting mixed or evergreen forests cools the air by enhancing “plant sweat” (transpiration), which is beneficial but planting savanna or woody savanna may actually make heat extremes worse because their darker leaves absorb more sun, emphasizing that the right choice of tree is essential for climate benefits. [Reference, Earth’s Future]

Can Africa make its own medicines? Africa wants to develop its own medicines, but it faces big obstacles. Before any drug can be tested in people, it must go through strict lab and animal tests to prove it’s safe. Most African countries don’t have the special certified labs, equipment, or trained staff needed for these tests. As a result, Africa must rely on other countries to develop medicines–even for diseases that mainly affect Africans. Poor funding, slow regulations, and limited research facilities make things harder. But with more investment, better training, clearer rules, and global partnerships–including using new tools like artificial intelligence–Africa can build the ability to test and produce its own medicines in the future. [Reference, Science Direct]

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