Prof. Rashid Ansumana, Dean of the College of Medical Sciences at Njala University, Sierra Leone, says Africa is gradually making a paradigm shift in climate-driven disease control — from reacting to outbreaks to predicting them through integrated, climate-informed health surveillance systems.
Ansumana stated this in an interview with reporters on Sunday in Abuja ahead of the 4th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2025), scheduled to hold from Oct. 22 to Oct. 25 in Durban, South Africa.
The conference will focus on “Moving Towards Self-Reliance to Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Health Security in Africa.”
According to him, climate change is rapidly transforming the ecology of diseases across the continent, influencing when and where outbreaks occur.
“Changes in rainfall, temperature, and humidity are altering the habitats of vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and rodents, leading to new and resurging disease patterns across Africa,” he said.
Ansumana cited the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which shows that sub-Saharan Africa is now experiencing more heat waves, floods, and droughts — all of which favor disease-carrying mosquitoes like Aedes and Anopheles.
“Malaria and dengue transmission zones are expanding into highland and semi-arid regions because of rising temperatures.
Flooding and poor sanitation also increase outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Deforestation and agricultural expansion bring humans and animals into closer contact, raising the risk of zoonotic infections such as Lassa fever,” he explained.
He noted that Africa’s health systems, already constrained by limited resources, now face climate-driven disease challenges that demand collaboration across human, animal, and environmental sectors.
Ansumana said African institutions are increasingly investing in early warning and response systems that integrate climate data into disease surveillance.
“The Africa CDC’s One Health Programme promotes surveillance across people, animals, and the environment, helping to detect and respond to health threats faster.
At the regional level, ECOWAS’ One Health Action Plan supports member states to share data, strengthen preparedness, and build capacity to tackle health emergencies before they escalate,” he said.
He added that some African countries now link meteorological and epidemiological data to predict outbreaks using models that monitor rainfall, vegetation, and rodent population density.
“This shift from reactive to predictive public health means officials can intervene before an outbreak gets out of control,” he said.
The professor emphasized that the One Health approach remains Africa’s best strategy to strengthen health security amid climate change.
“Over 60 per cent of new infectious diseases in humans originate from animals. Yet, surveillance systems have historically been fragmented, with human health ministries working separately from veterinary and environmental agencies,” he said.
He praised the Africa CDC’s Framework for One Health Practice, which helps countries coordinate national mechanisms, standardize laboratory systems, and train multidisciplinary teams.
“Through programmes such as the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP), Africa is producing experts who can interpret disease trends across social, environmental, and veterinary dimensions,” he added.
Ansumana also stressed that effective communication bridges the gap between early warning and community action.
“Science alone cannot stop outbreaks; communication connects data to behavior. During the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, trusted local radio stations and community messengers helped save lives by spreading accurate information,” he said.
He highlighted that Community Action Networks (CANs) across West Africa are now linking traditional leaders, women’s groups, and youth associations with district surveillance officers.
“In Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and Nigeria, community members use WhatsApp to report unusual human or animal illnesses or even environmental stress such as flooding. These systems build trust and enable quicker responses,” he said.
He, however, called for more investment in media literacy and journalist training to sustain such networks.
“When journalists, scientists, and communities work together, early warnings become clearer, more inclusive, and more actionable. The media amplifies early warnings, simplifies forecasts, and helps people take preventive measures,” he said.
Ansumana concluded that Africa’s resilience to climate-sensitive diseases depends on linking predictive data, local trust, and multisectoral collaboration.
“The best way for Africa to protect itself from the health impacts of climate change is to invest in integrated One Health surveillance systems and strengthen community communication networks.
Climate change is a global challenge, but preparedness starts at the community level,” he said.
He urged governments, regional bodies, and development partners to prioritize One Health investments as part of national climate adaptation and health security strategies.
“Resilience is not just about technology; it’s about people. If ministries of health, environment, and agriculture work together with communities, Africa will no longer be chasing outbreaks — it will be anticipating them,” he said.
As Africa prepares for CPHIA 2025 in Durban, discussions on One Health and climate adaptation are expected to take centre stage, with experts calling for sustainable, home-grown solutions that reinforce self-reliance and health security across the continent.
