Investment is needed for climate intervention; Photo illustration from Pexel
As rising heat waves, floods, and droughts push Africa’s health systems to the brink, governments, innovators, and partners are charting a new path to protect the continent’s most vulnerable communities.
At a two-day regional workshop in Nairobi, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa and the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), participants co-developed a proposal to mobilize innovative financing for climate-resilient health systems.
Dr Jeremiah Mushosho, WHO Africa Regional Team Lead for Climate Change, said the effort could be transformative:
“This initiative represents a new frontier in climate and health financing – one that centres resilience, equity, and innovation. By mobilizing both public and private capital, and with the strategic guidance of the Adaptation Fund, we can unlock the scale of investment needed to safeguard Africa’s future.”
For millions of families already living the impacts of climate change, from children battling waterborne disease after floods to farmers facing hunger from prolonged drought, the stakes are urgent.
Victoria Sabula, CEO of AECF, emphasized the need for partnerships beyond traditional aid:
“African communities are already living the impacts of climate change. To protect them, we must go beyond traditional aid and bring in the ingenuity and investment of the private sector. This project is about building solutions that last—and that ordinary families in Africa can rely on.”
Delegates from Benin, Burkina Faso, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, alongside private sector and technical experts, identified financing tools, validated governance structures, and aligned project objectives with national and global climate priorities.
Gregoire Piller, External Relations Officer at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, highlighted the importance of collaboration across sectors:
“Climate and health challenges cannot be solved by any one actor alone. This initiative demonstrates the power of partnerships, where governments, international institutions, and the private sector unite around shared priorities. By building bridges across these communities, we are not only fostering trust but also unlocking the financial innovation needed to shield millions of Africans from climate-driven health crises.”
The Adaptation Fund provided critical technical input, ensuring the initiative is both sustainable and scalable.
This marks one of the first regional efforts to design financing models that blend public and private capital to strengthen African health systems against climate-sensitive diseases, food insecurity, and extreme weather events.
About WHO AFRO
The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) leads public health efforts to improve health outcomes and support member states across the African continent.
About AECF
The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) is a donor-backed development institution that supports private-sector businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in agribusiness, renewable energy, climate adaptation, and rural financial services.
Using a challenge fund model, it provides catalytic grants and interest-free loans via thematic competitive funding windows, matching investor contributions to stimulate innovative, high-impact ventures.
To date, AECF has deployed over US$450 million across 26 countries, supporting more than 510 businesses, 33 million lives, and 35,000 jobs, while leveraging over US$800 million in additional capital
About the Adaptation Fund
The Adaptation Fund is a UN-backed climate finance mechanism created under the Kyoto Protocol to help developing countries adapt to climate change.
Operational since 2009, it supports projects that strengthen resilience in vulnerable communities, ranging from climate-smart agriculture and water harvesting to coastal protection, disaster preparedness, and ecosystem restoration.
Funded through a levy on carbon credits and donor contributions, it has mobilized more than $2 billion and financed close to 200 projects worldwide, directly benefiting millions of people.
A hallmark of the Fund is its “Direct Access” approach, which lets accredited national institutions apply for and manage resources directly, an innovation that has strengthened local ownership and capacity.
