Dear subscriber,
Climate related deaths have tripled in just one year and investors are prioritising digital health, AI and drones to stabilise health systems.
Treezer Michelle Atieno - Editor
US-based drone logistics company Zipline has received results-based financing to expand access to life-saving medical deliveries across Africa. The $150 million funding from the US government supports the manufacturing of drones and deliveries of vaccines, blood and other essentials to reach more than 130 million people.
Autonomous medical delivery networks like drones are climate-resilient ways to supply medical goods and support emergency and disaster response. Investment in these logistic systems has grown in the past year.
In June 2025, Global logistics company, DHL announced a $575 million investment for transport and storage of time-sensitive medical goods like vaccines. In October, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals launched Scepter360 Pharma, a digital platform that streamlines medical logistics.
Our take: Result-based financing has strong potential in climate-health settings: it can incentivise countries to invest in epidemic preparedness or climate-related disease monitoring…Read more (2 min)
Only two healthcare startups received venture capital funding in November, the lowest number since January 2025. The total funding received was $300,000, which is $5.7 million lower than last month’s total funding. Clarrio AI from Tunisia received $200,000 in venture capital while Rology from Egypt got a $100,000 grant.
Both funding will help to scale AI-powered digital health across the continent. Clarrio AI will expand its AI-powered health data systems to help businesses improve outcomes and reduce costs.
Rology, which received funding from the Amet Accelerator, will invest it in connecting hospitals and other healthcare providers with remote and readily available radiologists.
Our take: Investing in AI is a climate-smart move because it enhances diagnosis and disease prediction…Read more (2 min)
A new Lancet report warns that health systems in Africa are unprepared for rising climate threats. It urges governments to invest in early-warning systems for heatwaves, floods, droughts and disease outbreaks. It says better preparedness could protect the most vulnerable, especially young children and older adults.
The report shows that climate change deaths tripled from about 4,000 in 2022 to 15,000 in 2023 and describes the drought in the Horn of Africa (2020–2023) as the worst in the region in 40 years.
The report suggests research as a way to strengthen health surveillance and seeks support for the recently launched Lancet Countdown Africa centre, which generates locally relevant climate-health indicators and data.
Our take: Timely investment in early-warning systems and local research could save thousands of lives as climate pressures deepen…Read more (2 min)
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(Source: Africa CDC)
The Africa CDC launches the Africa Genome Archiving for Response and Insight initiative to enhance genomic data sharing and respond to emerging disease threats across the continent
Events
🗓️ Attend the Global Digital Health Forum in Kenya (December 5)
🗓️ Participate in the Medical Science Conference in Australia (December 6)
🗓️ Register for the World Health Expo Leaders in Ghana (December 9)
Jobs
🧑⚕️ Be a Project Assistant at Amref (Ethiopia)
🧑⚕️ Apply to be a Project Associate at Amref (Kenya)
🧑⚕️ Join Amref as Pandemic Fund Project Coordinator (Tanzania)
Various
💉 Smart Africa strengthens digital health across the continent
💉 WHO endorses roadmap to protect communities in emergencies
💉 Countries agree on 10-year Africa health workforce agenda
Seen on LinkedIn
Levi Cheruo, a Medical Doctor, says, “African health systems are often labeled as under-funded or fragile and huge gaps in staff, infrastructure and financing are real. But those same constraints make Africa a powerful testbed for lean, frugal, user-centric health innovation.”_________________