Dear subscriber,
One of the earliest signals of a changing market is where investors begin directing new pools of capital.
Treezer Michelle Atieno - Editor
Climate change is creating new healthcare challenges across Africa, as we know. They are driving demand for new technologies that help health systems prevent and respond to climate-related illnesses, creating what is emerging as a new category of health innovation. But dedicated funding for climate-health innovation has been scarce.
New initiatives, however, suggest the sector is beginning to attract specialised investment. The latest funding opportunity is the Nexa programme which is issuing grants of up to $2 million to health innovators to develop solutions addressing climate-related health risks like malaria.
The Nexa funding announcement strengthens climate-health as a distinct investment category in Africa. Over the past year, at least six dedicated funding programmes have been launched, with more than $127 million committed to climate-health innovations, including AI tools, early warning systems, surveillance, diagnostics, digital health tools, implementation models and research.
Our take: Climate-health is evolving from a niche research agenda into an investable segment in Africa's health economy…Read more (2 min)
Africa has proved vaccines work. In this opinion article, three high-profile participants in African healthcare debates argue that the continent's next challenge is whether Africa can transform immunisation into a strategic health system and economic asset rather than a donor-dependent programme.
Governments are under growing pressure to finance immunisation domestically, expand local vaccine manufacturing and strengthen health systems as traditional donor funding becomes less predictable. How countries respond will shape not only public health outcomes but also the continent's broader health economy.
The authors argue that vaccines should no longer be viewed solely as a public health intervention. They contend that sustained investment in immunisation strengthens human capital, supports economic productivity and builds more resilient health systems, making vaccines one of Africa's highest-return long-term investments.
Read the full opinion…Read more (2 min)
South Africa recorded Sanofi's highest employee attrition in Africa over the past year according to LinkedIn data. Across its South African operations, 319 employees were listed on LinkedIn, with an average attrition rate of about 10%, or an estimated 32 departures. This coincided with regulatory scrutiny of the company's local operations.
In February 2025, South Africa's Competition Commission launched an investigation into Sanofi over allegations that it used its control of insulin pen technology to make it harder for rival companies to enter the South African market.
Despite the workforce loss in South Africa, the company has continued to grow steadily in other regions, with Egypt and Algeria accounting for the largest share of hiring at 116 and 110 new recruits respectively.
Our take: Sanofi is building a commercial organisation rather than primarily a manufacturing one. Nearly two in five employees work in sales, business development or customer support…Read more (2 min)
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Novo Nordisk Foundation and Global Health EDCTP3 launch a partnership to advance health research in Africa
Events
🗓️ Register for the World Congress on Public Health in South Africa (Sept 6)
🗓️ Participate in World Health Expo in Kenya (Sept 16)
🗓️ Join the International Conference on Public Health in Ethiopia (Nov 23)
Jobs
🧑⚕️Be the Senior Market Access Manager, Immunology at AstraZeneca (SA)
🧑⚕️Apply to be the Health Risk Manager at momentum (Mozambique)
🧑⚕️Join Roche as an External Affairs Lead, Southern African Network (SA)
Various
💉Nigerian startup launches AI-powered monitoring platform for chronic diseases
💉Africa CDC says funding needs for Ebola response now stands at $1.4 billion
💉 The UN warns Ebola outbreak could cost Africa up to $3.6 billion
Seen on LinkedIn
Bio Usawa, a health tech research organisation, says, “Building biotechnology manufacturing capacity in Africa is about more than producing medicines; it is about expanding access, strengthening health systems, and ensuring that innovation reaches the patients who need it most.”