Climate change threatens Africa’s health systems - Stakeholders call for evidence-based action

Climate change is increasingly threatening public health, health infrastructure and the resilience of health systems across Africa, which calls for coordinated action among governments, researchers, development partners and communities.

The growing impact of rising temperatures, extreme weather events, food insecurity, disease outbreaks and population movements is placing additional pressure on already stretched health systems, creating new challenges for sustainable development across the continent.

This was made known at the opening of the 8th International Climate Change and Population Conference on Africa (CCPOP-Ghana 2026) in Accra yesterday, where speakers said those challenges would require stronger partnerships, increased investment in research, effective policy interventions and resilient health systems capable of responding to climate-related shocks.

They emphasised that climate change should no longer be viewed solely as an environmental issue, but as a public health, development and social justice concern that could directly affect livelihoods, well-being and the future of vulnerable populations.

The speakers were the Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, Dr Hafiz Adam Taher; the Provost of the College of Education, Professor Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, and the Director of the Regional Institute for Population Studies,  Prof. Mumuni Abu.

The conference, organised by the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) of the University of Ghana, was on the theme: “Our Health in Peril”. 
It brought together policymakers, researchers, academics, development partners, students and civil society organisations (CSOs) to examine the intersections between climate change, population dynamics and health outcomes in Africa.

Climate-health emergency

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, whose speech was delivered on his behalf by the Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, described climate change as a public health emergency whose effects were already being felt in communities and health systems.

The minister said rising temperatures were increasing heat-related illnesses and deaths, while changing rainfall patterns were influencing the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and other emerging infections.

Mr Akandoh added that extreme weather events were damaging health infrastructure, disrupting supply chains and interrupting essential health services, while food insecurity and malnutrition continued to threaten vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.

He said climate change had also intensified existing inequalities by making vulnerable communities even more susceptible to health risks and economic hardships.

Mr Akandoh said the country remained committed to building a climate-resilient health system capable of protecting the health and well-being of all citizens.

He said the Health Ministry was working closely with the Ghana Health Service, development partners, CSOs and other institutions to integrate climate considerations into health planning, surveillance, preparedness and service delivery.

The ministry, he said, was also pursuing reforms to ensure that health facilities remained functional during floods, heat waves, disease outbreaks and other climate-related emergencies.

Challenges

Prof. Codjoe said the conference came at a critical moment when climate change was increasingly intersecting with population dynamics, migration, livelihoods and broader development processes.

He said the complex nature of the challenges demanded innovative solutions, multidisciplinary collaboration and evidence-informed policymaking and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to advancing climate change research.

Significance

For his part, Prof. Abu said the conference had become a flagship platform for discussions on climate change and population dynamics since its inception in 2012.

He said the theme, “Our Health in Peril”, reflected the growing impact of climate-related events such as rising temperatures, sea-level rise and flooding on public health, health infrastructure and the resilience of health systems.