As extreme weather becomes the norm across the African continent, the health of vast swaths of the population is deteriorating.
Malawi has been bombarded with cholera, fueled by flooding and weak sanitation systems. This week, the country was pummeled yet again by Cyclone Freddy, with catastrophic flash flooding expected to exacerbate the spread of the deadly bacteria. The Horn of Africa is also experiencing historic levels of a multiyear drought, leading to widespread malnutrition and all of the illnesses that accompany a body weakened by hunger.
But the urgency with which health responders must work to protect the health of the communities they support across Africa has not always translated into policy. Some policymakers are confused about how they should handle the intersection of health and the climate crisis within their borders. Speaking at the Africa Health Agenda International Conference held in Kigali last week, health experts said policymakers are asking for more data on cost-effective strategies they can roll out.
About the author
Sara Jervingsarajerving
Sara Jerving is a Senior Reporter at Devex, where she covers global health. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, VICE News, and Bloomberg News among others. Sara holds a master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where she was a Lorana Sullivan fellow. She was a finalist for One World Media's Digital Media Award in 2021; a finalist for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists in 2018; and she was part of a VICE News Tonight on HBO team that received an Emmy nomination in 2018. She received the Philip Greer Memorial Award from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 2014.
