From the newsletter
In our quarterly policy tracker we note prominently that Africa CDC has launched new frameworks to support Africa’s health security amid climate change. It targets stronger national public health institutes and climate-resilient health systems. The plans provide policy blueprints to integrate technology and collaboration into national health strategies.
The two policies are the National Public Health Institutes in Africa: Development Plan 2025–2027 and the Climate Change and Health: Strategic Framework 2025.
Both policies aim to strengthen Africa’s health systems: The Climate Change and Health Framework builds climate-resilient systems, while the NPHI Plan supports every AU state to establish strong, well-resourced national public health institutes.
More details
The Climate Change and Health Strategic Framework 2025 was released in July 2025 by Africa CDC, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, Team Europe and the World Bank. This framework sets a five-year plan to build climate-resilient health systems. It is organised around six pillars and a budget of $482.5 million for 2025 to 2029 to fund continental actions, launched through broad AU and partner collaboration efforts.
Policy actions on governance and capacity start with setting regional One Health coordination mechanisms led by Regional Coordination Centres and Regional Economic Communities. They are to appoint climate-health focal points in health ministries, mandate climate impact assessments for new policies and create monitoring frameworks. Ministers get leadership programmes and countries set up national climate and health working groups to align community input and national goals and accountability.
The framework also focuses on improving health systems and emergency readiness. Countries are expected to strengthen early warning systems and monitor environmental health risks. They are also to ensure clinics have clean water and sanitation. They should improve how medical waste is handled and keep essential supplies like vaccines and diagnostics ready for emergencies.
At the same time, research and data efforts will deepen disease surveillance, encourage innovation, connect young researchers and bring policymakers and scientists together to turn evidence into practical plans that shape budgets, programmes, community priorities and effective emergency responses.
Financing and delivery actions include quarterly policy briefs, private-sector incentives through an annual fundraising dinner, a Heads of State forum and a COP side event to keep health central in climate talks. Africa CDC provides costing assistance to 55 states. Implementation runs from 2025 to 2029, starting with governance and capacity, backed by steering committees.
The Plan for the Development of National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) in Africa 2025–2027 was developed by the Africa CDC and launched in 2025. It focuses on helping all African Union Member States establish fully functional NPHIs through technical and financial support and build regional Centres of Excellence to strengthen Africa’s collective health security
Our take
After years of fragmented systems and donor-driven programmes, new policies emphasise a focus on institutional strength and climate readiness.
Success, however, will rely on national political will and sustained financing from both public and private partners.