The Hidden Health Toll of Urban Heat: Africa’s Concrete Jungles and the Rise of Climate-Sensitive Diseases

By Michael Gwarisa Africa is battling a number of adverse climatic catastrophes, and over the past five years, climate change is no longer a distant threat across the continent. In African cities, it has become an everyday reality, intensifying urban heat and deepening public health risks. Rising temperatures, prolonged heatwaves, and shrinking green spaces are combining to create “concrete jungles,” densely built environments where heat becomes trapped and air pollution festers. According to experts, this urban heat effect, worsened by poor ventilation and limited vegetation, is now driving a rise…

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Amref Puts A Spotlight On Widening Climate Change Induced Health Inequalities in Africa

“As dire as the situation is, financing for climate adaptation is only a drop in the ocean of what is needed. This scenario has been, and continues to be the reason why Africa is one of the most vulnerable continent.” By Michael Gwarisa As the world commemorates World Health Day, governments around the world are seized with addressing climate change challenges, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) data estimating that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will likely cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year, from undernutrition, malaria, diarrhoea…

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Launch of a Regional Initiative to Tackle Climate Change-related Health Challenges for Africa

At the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly, African governments represented by Ministers of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (WHO) and Amref Health Africa launched a regional initiative to tackle health impacts of climate change in Africa. This is an effort to harness the power of collaboration among countries and stakeholders through experience sharing and collective action in climate adaptation and mitigation. By Staff Reporter Besides enabling multisectoral work, the initiative seeks to strengthen the voice of health and well-being in Africa at the…

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