The U.S. withdrawal from WHO and freezing of PEPFAR funding endanger African health equity, affecting HIV treatment and climate-related health issues. While funding for antiretroviral treatments has resumed, uncertainty remains about continued support for other critical PEPFAR initiatives.
Climate change has magnified Africa’s health vulnerabilities, leading to an increased spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS. Extreme weather events disrupt access to healthcare and further compromise the immune systems of already susceptible populations.
The U.S. departure from the WHO means a loss of about 1.2 billion annual funding and the unclear status of PEPFAR significantly undermine Africa’s capacity to tackle these crises, leaving millions without access to essential healthcare services and treatment.
Our take: This is a perfect storm for Africa’s public health system. The consequences? A healthcare crisis that threatens to undo decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, while also exposing millions to other risks associated with a changing climate. Africa must now find alternative ways to fund its health systems… Read more (2 min)
Twelve African nations have pledged to expand clean energy access during the just concluded Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam. This commitment targets reducing indoor air pollution, lowering respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, and tackling the continent's ongoing energy poverty crisis.
This summit, part of the larger "Mission 300" initiative led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, targets universal energy access for 300 million people across Africa by 2030.
The 12 countries; Chad, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Tanzania have outlined ambitious plans to achieve universal energy access and reduce reliance on traditional biomass for cooking.
Our take: Expanding renewable energy infrastructure to achieve universal energy access in Africa will require massive investments and policy reforms. Governments must navigate a complex array of challenges to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable energy… Read more (2 min)
Between January 28 and 30, 2025, health officials from Africa, along with global experts, gathered in Mombasa, Kenya, for the East Africa Regional Global Health Security Summit. The summit addressed the increasing health challenges posed by pandemics and climate-related emergencies.
Discussions highlighted the importance of securing sustainable health financing, adopting new technologies and developing community-based surveillance systems to improve health security.
Attendees, among them representatives of heads of states and health experts, also examined strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change on public health, especially vector-borne diseases and extreme weather events affecting vulnerable communities.
Our Take: Africa must adopt early warning systems and community-based surveillance to safeguard its populations from the current rising disease burden in the region…Read more (2 min)
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Former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta graces the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit in Mombasa as the chief guest.
Events
Rwanda hosts Africa Health Agenda International Conference 2025 (March 02-05)
Watch WHO Technical Webinar Series on Climate Change and Health (February 06)
Jobs
Doctors Without Borders seeks a Climate and Environmental Health Advisor (Kenya)
University of Cape Town seeks a Postdoc researcher in sustainable, healthy and resilient animal source food systems in Southern Africa.
Seen on LinkedIn
Digital Health Africa foresees a future where advancements in AI, remote medicine, and biotechnology will help improve healthcare planning and delivery in Africa.
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