The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems
BackgroundClimate change is the greatest health threat of the 21st century to global health and primary health care. Despite being the least contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa is disproportionately facing severe impacts of climate change, particularly on its health systems which...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1559737/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849689578065100800 |
|---|---|
| author | Jack Ogony Jack Ogony Judith Mangeni George Ayodo Esther Amulen Florenc Scopas Tusubila Juma Michael Wagaba Amos Deogratius Mwaka Lena Nwanja Sambila Princewill Ben Oyugi Arthy Yongo Sitraka Rakotosolofo Alberto Francioli Eunison Mugamu Julia Davies Simon Karanja Corrie Hannah |
| author_facet | Jack Ogony Jack Ogony Judith Mangeni George Ayodo Esther Amulen Florenc Scopas Tusubila Juma Michael Wagaba Amos Deogratius Mwaka Lena Nwanja Sambila Princewill Ben Oyugi Arthy Yongo Sitraka Rakotosolofo Alberto Francioli Eunison Mugamu Julia Davies Simon Karanja Corrie Hannah |
| author_sort | Jack Ogony |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundClimate change is the greatest health threat of the 21st century to global health and primary health care. Despite being the least contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa is disproportionately facing severe impacts of climate change, particularly on its health systems which is already neglected and underfunded. The crisis poses a fundamental threat to human health by undermining healthcare infrastructure, straining workforce capacity, and diminishing global progress toward universal health coverage. It disrupts the physical environment, natural and human systems, and the functionality of healthcare systems, acting as a multiplier threat that jeopardizes and potentially reverses decades of health gains. The Sendai Framework, a roadmap for making vulnerable and marginalized communities safer and more resilient emphasizes the importance of investing in disaster risk prevention and reduction through both structural and non-structural measures, which are vital for enhancing socio-economic, health, and cultural resilience. This narrative review is based on the insights drawn from Climate Adaptation Research Program scholars across Africa. It explores the current and projected burden of climate change on the continent’s healthcare systems. It underscores the urgent need to integrate climate resilience into healthcare planning, fostering cross-sectoral collaboration, and ensures the sustainability of health systems amid escalating climate challenges.ConclusionThe impacts of climate change on health represent a significant global challenge, demanding the establishment of robust and resilient healthcare systems. To mitigate the catastrophic and lasting effects of the climate crisis on healthcare and to prevent millions of climate-related deaths, it is essential to enhance resilience and preparedness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-01e3c08536e344e2aa507facfaf2b7df |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-01e3c08536e344e2aa507facfaf2b7df2025-08-20T03:21:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-05-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15597371559737The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systemsJack Ogony0Jack Ogony1Judith Mangeni2George Ayodo3Esther Amulen4Florenc Scopas5Tusubila Juma6Michael Wagaba7Amos Deogratius Mwaka8Lena Nwanja9Sambila Princewill10Ben Oyugi11Arthy Yongo12Sitraka Rakotosolofo13Alberto Francioli14Eunison Mugamu15Julia Davies16Simon Karanja17Corrie Hannah18Department of Environmental Health and Disease Control, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, KenyaDepartment of Epidemiology and Biomedical Statistics, School of Public Health, Moi University, Eldoret, KenyaDepartment of Epidemiology and Biomedical Statistics, School of Public Health, Moi University, Eldoret, KenyaDepartment of Public Health and Community Development, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Kisumu, KenyaSchool of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, UgandaDepartment of Environmental Science, University of Buea, Buea, CameroonDepartment of Environmental Science, University of Buea, Buea, CameroonDepartment of Public Health and Community Development, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Kisumu, KenyaDepartment of Public Health and Community Development, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Kisumu, KenyaDepartment of Economics, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, MadagascarDepartment of Geography and Environmental Studies, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South AfricaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Studies, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South AfricaArizona Institute for Resilience, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesDepartment of Environmental Health and Disease Control, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, KenyaArizona Institute for Resilience, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United StatesBackgroundClimate change is the greatest health threat of the 21st century to global health and primary health care. Despite being the least contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa is disproportionately facing severe impacts of climate change, particularly on its health systems which is already neglected and underfunded. The crisis poses a fundamental threat to human health by undermining healthcare infrastructure, straining workforce capacity, and diminishing global progress toward universal health coverage. It disrupts the physical environment, natural and human systems, and the functionality of healthcare systems, acting as a multiplier threat that jeopardizes and potentially reverses decades of health gains. The Sendai Framework, a roadmap for making vulnerable and marginalized communities safer and more resilient emphasizes the importance of investing in disaster risk prevention and reduction through both structural and non-structural measures, which are vital for enhancing socio-economic, health, and cultural resilience. This narrative review is based on the insights drawn from Climate Adaptation Research Program scholars across Africa. It explores the current and projected burden of climate change on the continent’s healthcare systems. It underscores the urgent need to integrate climate resilience into healthcare planning, fostering cross-sectoral collaboration, and ensures the sustainability of health systems amid escalating climate challenges.ConclusionThe impacts of climate change on health represent a significant global challenge, demanding the establishment of robust and resilient healthcare systems. To mitigate the catastrophic and lasting effects of the climate crisis on healthcare and to prevent millions of climate-related deaths, it is essential to enhance resilience and preparedness.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1559737/fulladaptationclimate changedisaster riskhealthcare systemvulnerabilitypreparedness |
| spellingShingle | Jack Ogony Jack Ogony Judith Mangeni George Ayodo Esther Amulen Florenc Scopas Tusubila Juma Michael Wagaba Amos Deogratius Mwaka Lena Nwanja Sambila Princewill Ben Oyugi Arthy Yongo Sitraka Rakotosolofo Alberto Francioli Eunison Mugamu Julia Davies Simon Karanja Corrie Hannah The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems Frontiers in Public Health adaptation climate change disaster risk healthcare system vulnerability preparedness |
| title | The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems |
| title_full | The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems |
| title_fullStr | The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems |
| title_short | The stifling burden of climate change on African public healthcare systems |
| title_sort | stifling burden of climate change on african public healthcare systems |
| topic | adaptation climate change disaster risk healthcare system vulnerability preparedness |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1559737/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jackogony thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT jackogony thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT judithmangeni thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT georgeayodo thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT estheramulen thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT florencscopas thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT tusubilajuma thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT michaelwagaba thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT amosdeogratiusmwaka thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT lenanwanja thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT sambilaprincewill thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT benoyugi thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT arthyyongo thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT sitrakarakotosolofo thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT albertofrancioli thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT eunisonmugamu thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT juliadavies thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT simonkaranja thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT corriehannah thestiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT jackogony stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT jackogony stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT judithmangeni stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT georgeayodo stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT estheramulen stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT florencscopas stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT tusubilajuma stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT michaelwagaba stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT amosdeogratiusmwaka stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT lenanwanja stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT sambilaprincewill stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT benoyugi stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT arthyyongo stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT sitrakarakotosolofo stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT albertofrancioli stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT eunisonmugamu stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT juliadavies stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT simonkaranja stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems AT corriehannah stiflingburdenofclimatechangeonafricanpublichealthcaresystems |