Climate Change and the Rise of Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases in Africa: A Literature Review

Robert Kwame D. Agyarko (), Dennis Kithinji () and Kizito Bishikwabo Nsarhaza
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Robert Kwame D. Agyarko: The African Risk Capacity, Johannesburg 2157, South Africa
Dennis Kithinji: Medright Consulting Ltd., Maua 60600, Kenya
Kizito Bishikwabo Nsarhaza: World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: Climate change is among the most significant challenges of the 21st century, with global warming, heat stress, floods, and drought occurring in various parts of the globe, including Africa. The impact of climate change on health is becoming increasingly substantial on the African continent due to weaknesses in economies, infrastructure, and healthcare systems. This review explores the relationship between climate change and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in Africa and highlights possible solutions. It was conducted by summarizing and synthesizing related information from relevant scientific publications. This review reveals that climate change significantly contributes to Africa’s emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, dengue fever, malaria, and cholera. The impact of climate change on infectious diseases is variable across the continent, with countries in West and Central Africa experiencing more significant climate change-instigated disease burdens. Multisectoral cooperation between climate change actors, environmental health researchers, policy makers, and political leaders centered in the One Health approach is necessary to develop and implement resilient interventions for climate change-induced emerging and re-emerging infections and related health hazards.

Keywords: climate change; environment; health hazards; infectious diseases; zoonosis; emerging diseases; re-emerging diseases; one health; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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