KNUST Secures £20 Million for West Africa Climate Health Research

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana, will lead a new West African research consortium focused on the health impacts of climate change. The initiative is supported by £20 million in funding from the Wellcome Trust, a global biomedical research charity.

The funding is part of a larger £60 million commitment from Wellcome to establish three regional science and policy consortiums across Africa, addressing the escalating public health emergency resulting from climate change. The University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa will lead a Southern Africa consortium, and a third consortium for Eastern Africa is currently in development.

Western Africa Consortium

The KNUST-based Western Africa consortium, led by Professor Philip Antwi-Agyei, will focus on the health and nutritional impact of heatwaves, dust storms, and drought in Ghana and Senegal. The consortium will bring together physical scientists, social scientists, policymakers, and practitioners to generate research intended for immediate action. Professor Antwi-Agyei, a Lead Author on two Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports, noted that West Africa is particularly vulnerable due to climate hazards, limited adaptive capacity, and fragile health systems. The consortium aims to produce regionally specific evidence that governments can utilize to inform policy.

Southern Africa Consortium

The Southern Africa consortium, led by Professor Matthew Chersich of the University of the Witwatersrand, will prioritize extreme heat in South Africa and Zimbabwe and flooding in Malawi. This consortium will specifically focus on the impact on vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, children, elderly people, and those with chronic health conditions.

Consortium Framework and Timeline

Both consortiums were developed over the past two years in collaboration with regional partners. They are designed to translate research into policy and community-level action within a five-year timeframe.

Reaction from the World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa welcomed the initiative. Dr. Adelheid Onyango, Director of Universal Health Coverage and Healthier Populations at WHO’s Africa office, emphasized the importance of context-specific evidence for health leaders facing resource constraints.

Climate Change Disparities in Africa

Despite contributing a small fraction of global carbon emissions, Africa experiences a disproportionate share of climate-related health consequences. The new consortiums are intended to strengthen African scientific leadership and increase the continent’s influence in global climate and health policy decisions.