Health
Global Conversations: Climate Change Multiplies Health Risks, A Call to Action on Extreme Weather Effects
By Davidson Ndyabahika, Johanna Blomgren and Julius T. Mugaga
Experts have urged urgent action to mitigate the health risks of climate change. The 2023 global conversation, on Climate Change and Health highlighted the need for transformational action in every sector to protect people’s health from climate change.
Held on September 5, 2023 the virtual seminar, organized by the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health (CESH), a collaboration between Makerere University and the Karolinska Institutet that aims to increase capacity and spur action to advance the agenda for sustainable health drew over 230 attendees from all over the world. It placed emphasis on mitigating the effects of extreme weather, such flooding.
In its 2023 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) notes that global terrestrial, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems have already been affected by climate change, along with the associated losses and costs. It predicts that heavy rainfall and flooding events are expected to worsen and occur more frequently in the majority of regions of Africa, Asia, North America, and Europe by 1.5°C global warming (high confidence).
The 2023 IPCC report identifies barriers that prevent people and society from implementing climate-resilient behaviors. Financial limitations, conflicts with the SDGs, inequalities, institutional, economic, and social hurdles, as well as dispersed strategies, are a few of these. The panel equally agree that if global warming exceeds 1.5 °C and the SDGs are not adequately progressed, chances for climate-resilient development would be considerably more limited.
Now, during the seminar, the panel, by consensus agreed that climate change is critical citing that such conversations on critical factors in relation to the climate and health crisis are not only timely but necessary.
Climate change impacts the social determinants of health, which include excellent health and wellbeing, by causing decreased food output, low fishing yields, flooding, and infrastructure damage, according to Daniel Helldén, a PhD student at KI Department of Global Public Health.
“The future emission scenarios are dire. What is becoming more and more clear is that climate change is a generational issue. Children born today will continue to bear the biggest burden of climate change impact,” said Helldén.
Dr. Mugume Isaac Amooti, the Director of Weather Forecasting Services at the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), emphasized the importance of considering both long-term averages and unprecedented weather events driven by climate change. These events are thought extreme only when they exceed past records. He noted for instance that in Uganda; “The widespread flooding brought on by heavy and frequent precipitation is what we are seeing in Uganda, particularly in the cities. However, we are witnessing heat waves and cold waves at different times of the year.”
Although there isn’t a clear pattern in Sweden’s precipitation, Dr. Johanna Sörensen of Lund University in Sweden said that forecasts suggest that rainfall may increase by the end of the century. Given the flooding problems that already present, this, she says is something to worry about. “Flooding is increasing not only because of climate change but also even more that we construct the cities more densely and we construct buildings and industries on lowly areas that we used not to do in the past which is of course not a good idea.”
Dr. Tamer Rabie, a lead health specialist at the World Bank Group, notes that risks are amplified by climate change, which therefore has an intensified negative impact. He points out, for instance, that in order to comprehend how climate change and changes in temperature and precipitation patterns will affect health, it is critical to view climate change as a risk multiplier.
Dr. Tamer, also the architect of the World Bank’s global Health-Climate and Environment Program (H-CEP), underscored three pathways through which climate change impacts health: direct effects, indirect effects, and those mediated by ecosystems. Some of the direct pathways include issues like increased temperatures likely to lead to heat waves, heat-related illnesses, worsened non-communicable diseases, and increase in the risk of events like traumatic injuries.
According to Dr. Tamer, ecosystem-mediated risks include vector-borne diseases (like Malaria and Dengue), foodborne illnesses, and waterborne diseases (like Cholera). These risks are closely tied to how health outcomes are influenced by the ecosystem. Additionally, indirect health impacts encompass mental health due to population displacements, as well as malnutrition resulting from shifts in food production and overall food systems.
“We have done estimates in the World Bank that show that extreme weather events and climate change will lead to pushing nearly 132 million people into extreme poverty by 2030. If you look at the health impacts within those figures and the main drivers, we are seeing that nearly 44 million out of those 132 will be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030 if we don’t take any action today,” Dr. Tamer.
According to Dr. Tamer, the World Bank has conducted climate and health vulnerability assessments specifically looking at the cost of inaction moving into the 2030s and 2050s using information that relates to malaria, dengue, diarrhea, stunting in children, heat related illnesses, floods, among others.
“What we are seeing is that on average, countries will be losing anywhere between 1-5% of their GDP as a result of not really addressing the climate crisis, not being able to address these impacts that we are talking about, and obviously not investing enough into the health systems to be able to be more resilient,” Dr. Tamer noted during the webinar.
According to Dr. Sara Gabrielsson, an Associate Senior Lecturer in Sustainability Science at Lund University’s Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), addressing immediate health risks involves containing flooding, which is just one aspect of climate change-related challenges like sea level rise and drought.
She highlights the connection between various deadly diseases like dengue, typhoid, trachoma, and cholera among others to this issue. During a crisis like flooding, treatment for these diseases she notes often takes a backseat due to the overwhelming health burdens that arise.
“There is death from drowning or direct injury from debris in these very storm surges, but then we also have the issue of just water sitting, waiting in water for longer periods, leading to lots of infections, urine-tract infections, vaginal infections, skin diseases, hypothermia, lots of those kinds of things, but also vector-borne diseases, and especially malaria, which is, of course, one big thing here,” Dr. Gabrielsson opines.
She adds that flooding brings problems like contaminated drinking water, leading to chronic diarrhea and malnutrition. Additionally, damaged sanitation facilities force people into open defecation, exposing them to harmful bacteria and further risk of chronic diarrhea.
“These immediate health risks are just the beginning. Moving into long-term risks, flooding severely impacts the availability of clean water for basic hygiene. As we’ve learned from COVID, hygiene is paramount for health. Insufficient handwashing and personal hygiene can breed disease. We need proper hygiene for preparing food, tending to babies, managing menstrual health, and more. Without it, there’s increased exposure to harmful bacteria, compounded by the use of inadequate sanitation systems, resulting in outbreaks of various diseases,” observed Gabrielsson.
Way forward
Dr. Sörensen, from a Swedish standpoint, proposes proactive steps to mitigate flooding. These include slowing down water flow, discouraging construction in flood-prone zones, and avoiding building in areas prone to heavy rain. She points out that in cities like Mumbai and Gothenburg, there has been a concerning trend of construction in flood-prone regions. Dr. Sörensen emphasizes the importance of adapting solutions for creating greener, more sustainable cities. “In China, they call it a sponge city. It’s like a sponge—you fill it up with water during rainfall and then use it later for various purposes. Utilizing vegetation and water storage helps retain water and slow down its flow in urban areas. Green spaces in cities are crucial for health, well-being, and providing shade, especially during heatwaves,” she says.
In Uganda, Dr. Mugume notes that the government has invested in weather monitoring infrastructure, including the three weather radars, which are strategically spread across the country to enable UNMA to monitor weather at any part of the country.
“With this technology, we can now offer more precise and timely services, ensuring our communities respond effectively. Weather and climate forecasts range from hourly to seasonal projections. Shorter forecasts tend to be more accurate, although longer ones still fall within manageable limits. For instance, our seasonal forecast accuracy in Uganda is at 90%, aligning with National Development Plan 3. We collaborate with development partners to fine-tune these forecasts.”
For Dr. Gabrielsson, preparedness is key, especially for the 2.2 billion people worldwide relying on sanitation systems, many of whom live in rapidly urbanizing areas and unplanned settlements.
Unfortunately, these systems often lack proper management, leading to health risks. In urban settings, she says, the spread of sludge from these systems can have widespread health implications. To address this, there’s a pressing need to prioritize climate-resilient sanitation systems. Historically, the sanitation sector has been under-prioritized, resulting in insufficient funding and political attention. Without a one-size-fits-all solution due to diverse living habits, cultural considerations become paramount. A gender-responsive approach is crucial, as women are primarily responsible for WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices.
“It involves recognizing the unique needs of different groups, such as refugees, the elderly, disabled individuals, children, and menstruating individuals. Climate-resilient wash infrastructure requires community responsibility, government policy, and financial support. For instance, in flood-prone areas like the Amazon Basin, sanitation facilities are designed to align with local livelihoods, incorporating features like composting latrines that produce manure for farming and collecting rainwater for handwashing. This approach ensures environmental safety and sustainable practices,” she observes.
Dr. Gabrielsson emphasizes the importance of cultural acceptance in encouraging people’s dedication to upholding basic sanitation and hygiene practices, particularly in the face of flooding. “Another example I presented is a UNICEF-supported toilet in Bangladesh. It’s elevated with precast concrete rings to prevent flooding, sealed with concrete mortar for contamination prevention, and reinforced to withstand heavy rain and wind. This design was developed in close consultation with local communities, ensuring cultural acceptance and affordability. The goal is to create facilities that people actually want to use, which is why it’s crucial to integrate natural and social sciences for effective solutions.”
The World Bank has substantially supported action on climate change, including both adaptation and mitigation initiatives. Dr. Tamer says over $2.2 billion has been set aside as of today for climate-related health interventions, especially in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Significant assistance has also been given to assist tiny island states in managing the effects of climate change, particularly extreme events.
In Yemen, the World Bank has sponsored efforts to put in place electronic early warning systems for real-time health data and policy response due to outbreaks of diseases including cholera and malaria. In Madagascar, the World Bank has funded work combining climate and nutrition programming. The World Bank worked with the government of Ghana to create long-lasting vaccine delivery networks.
On August 20, 2025, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) convened a timely workshop on Strengthening Equitable Partnerships in International Research Collaboration in Uganda. Held at the MakSPH Auditorium, the event brought together researchers, policymakers, and institutional leaders to reflect on how Uganda, and indeed the wider region, can engage more effectively and derive greater benefit from global research collaborations.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. David Musoke Serwadda, a Professor Emeritus at Makerere University and a globally recognised HIV researcher and epidemiologist, urged a rethinking of how international research partnerships are structured. A former head of the Institute of Public Health (IPH) and later Dean of the School, serving between 2003 and 2009, Serwadda is also the founding director of the Rakai Health Sciences Programme (RHSP), which is one of Uganda’s most influential research initiatives on HIV. While acknowledging the many benefits Uganda has gained from global research collaborations, he cautioned that too many times, these partnerships remain transactional, shaped by donor priorities, bound to project cycles, and offering limited long-term value to local institutions once projects close.
Prof. Serwadda, himself a globally recognised and well-accomplished researcher, with over four decades of experience and numerous awards for his contributions to science and global health, observed that Ugandan partners are many times included in research projects for visibility rather than substance, often excluded from core roles such as Principal Investigators or from influencing agenda-setting, budget control, and authorship. “Partnerships are not an end in themselves; they exist to help us achieve mutually agreed objectives built on shared responsibility and reciprocal obligations. Too often, Southern institutions are brought into projects late, simply for optics. That is not equitable collaboration,” he insisted.
During his talk, he stressed that this imbalance undermines both research quality and sustainability, noting that normally, when local researchers are sidelined, studies often fail to align with national priorities or build capacity that endures. By contrast, partnerships that are grounded in mutual respect, fair resource sharing, co-design, and shared decision-making have the impact of producing knowledge that is globally relevant and locally impactful.
“Equity in partnerships is about fairness, ensuring that all partners, regardless of context, can contribute meaningfully. This also requires responsibility on our part in the Global South. We must insist on involvement from project conception, negotiate fair terms, and strengthen our own systems to manage collaborations effectively,” Prof. Serwadda advised, emphasising that strong institutions, clear strategy, agenda and objectives are key for local institutions to engage in mutually fair and beneficial research collaborations at the global and continental stage.
As Director and later Dean of MakSPH, Prof. David Serwadda spearheaded numerous research collaborations and attracted substantial grants that elevated the School and the University’s global standing. Today, MakSPH is recognised as Makerere University’s flagship unit for its wide-ranging partnerships and robust research management systems. Since its beginnings as a small Department of Preventive Medicine in 1954, through its transformation into the first Institute of Public Health in sub-Saharan Africa in 1975, its elevation to School status in 2007, and most recently its reinstatement as a standalone School with college status within Makerere University in January 2025, a status first granted in 2001, MakSPH has built a 70-year legacy of advancing public health through research, training, and policy engagement.
The School’s evolution, as often couched by its leadership, has been anchored on strategic and strong partnerships. These collaborations, be they local, regional or global, have driven health systems innovation, strengthened capacity, and informed policy, making partnerships the cornerstone of the School’s past achievements and future ambitions. At the celebration of the School’s 70th Anniversary, marked in December 2024, Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe hailed MakSPH’s research output, community impact, and strong partnerships cultivated throughout the years. The Mak VC cited the School’s pioneering role in the HIV response led by Prof. Serwadda in the 1980s, the establishment of nutrition centres such as the Mwana Mugimu Unit at Mulago Hospital and across Uganda by the late Prof. John Kakitahi in the 1990s with support from Rotary International, and community projects like Kasangati Health Centre along Gayaza Road with support from the Rockefeller Foundation in the late 1950s, which advanced public education on healthy environments and wellness.
“The School of Public Health brings in almost half of all research grants at Makerere University, both in number and value, and these partnerships have been central to tackling Uganda’s public health challenges. From pioneering HIV/AIDS work that shaped global prevention strategies to interventions in maternal health, malaria, and infectious diseases, MakSPH has consistently combined academic excellence with community service. Its leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic further showed its ability to respond to national health emergencies with evidence-based solutions that directly benefit the people,” Prof. Nawangwe said with gratitude for the work done by the School through collaboration.
In 2024, the School had over 350 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact international journals as a result of this wide network and partnerships. MakSPH currently maintains a strong mix of North–South and South–South collaborations. Within the continent, the School is actively working in more than 25 countries, often partnering with multiple institutions within individual countries to advance research, capacity building, and policy influence. One such recent collaboration is the Partnership to Enhance Technical Support for Analytical Capacity and Data Use in Eastern & Southern Africa (PERSuADE) Project, funded by the Global Fund. Under PERSuADE, MakSPH, the prime grant recipient, hosted the secretariat led by Dean Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze as Principal Investigator, tasked with overall coordination across 12 countries, while a Steering Committee chaired by Prof. David Serwadda provided oversight.
PERSuADE was implemented in two phases between 2018 and 2023. The project brought together 12 universities and 12 Ministries of Health in East and Southern Africa to strengthen analytical capacity and promote data use in national health programmes, cascading skills to districts and lower facilities. In its second phase, the project trained over 1,500 health staff, including 934 at the sub-national level, in data analysis and use, and generated more than 80 analytical outputs on HIV, TB, and malaria. These informed National Strategic Plans in seven countries and improved programme strategies in all 12. Sixteen in-service staff from seven countries received specialised training in HIV key population surveillance, health information systems, and data use. The project also piloted the Maturity Index Model in five countries, helping ministries track progress in institutionalising data-driven decision-making.
In Uganda, the PERSuADE project was implemented in Kiboga, Buikwe, Kasanda, Mukono, and Mityana districts, selected by the Ministry of Health. According to the Principal Investigator, Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze, strengthening data analysis and use has greatly enhanced the capacity of Ministries of Health to deliver targeted interventions that directly benefit communities. She noted that improved analytical skills at national and subnational levels now enable ministries to identify disparities in HIV, TB, and malaria burdens, while district and facility health workers can use data to strengthen local service delivery. “With better data, districts can plan more efficiently, allocate medicines, and implement tailored prevention campaigns to address specific risks, raise awareness, and reduce new infections,” she said, emphasising the role of equitable collaboration as a key success factor in Uganda and across the continent for this partnership.
Indeed, during a learning visit to Uganda in September 2024, Dr. Estifanos Biru Shargie, Senior Specialist for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Country Analysis at the Global Fund, commended the PERSuADE Project for strengthening local capacity and fostering sustainable health system improvements through South-South partnerships among schools and ministries. “The impact has been significant. In Kiboga, I was impressed by how teams mapped gaps in services and addressed them over four years, using data to inform decisions and monitor progress. Working with Makerere University School of Public Health has been an honour. The School blends academic excellence with practical implementation, backed by strong financial management and a long-standing relationship with the Ministry of Health. Their coordination, networking, and efficiency have been exemplary,” Dr. Shargie said.
Another currently ongoing initiative at the School is the African Leadership and Management Training for Impact in Malaria Eradication (ALAMIME) program, led by MakSPH with ten participating institutions across nine malaria-endemic countries, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Co-led by Prof. Elizeus Rutebemberwa and Prof. Dosithée Ngo Bebe, ALAMIME is cultivating the leadership Africa needs to defeat malaria by strengthening institutions, building capacity, and fostering regional networks. In 2024 alone, the program trained over 250 participants, nearly half women, from national malaria programs, ministries, and NGOs. Through structured training, alumni-led webinars, and cross-country exchanges, the program has demonstrated how equitable, multi-country partnerships translate investment into sustainable systems and shared momentum toward malaria elimination.
For nearly 15 years now, MakSPH has also hosted the NTU–Mak Partnership, a collaboration between Makerere University and Nottingham Trent University, first conceived in 2010, with Assoc. Prof. David Musoke and Prof. Linda Gibson as the Uganda and UK Co-Leads. One of the key reasons for the success of this partnership is equity, and it has since attracted over £1.4 million in grants, trained more than 900 Village Health Teams in Wakiso District, supported over 350 practitioners in antimicrobial stewardship, and facilitated exchanges for more than 200 students and faculty. It has also equipped community health workers to respond to non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and the COVID-19 pandemic, while generating over 30 peer-reviewed publications and convening global platforms such as the first International Community Health Worker Symposium, held in Kampala in 2017.
Dr. Musoke, the Co-Principal Investigator for the project on strengthening equitable research collaborations in Uganda, described the NTU-Mak partnership as a model North–South partnership that has produced both joint scholarship and lasting institutional ties. He noted that its success has inspired wider collaborations, as the current project on equitable partnerships builds on this foundation. Emerging from a British Academy regional workshop in Nairobi in 2024, MakSPH extended its engagement to Mountains of the Moon University (MMU), Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). Together with Nottingham Trent University, these institutions are now advancing reforms to embed equity in research partnerships across Uganda’s research ecosystem.
Health
Mak and UNICEF Uganda Sign MoU to Strengthen Child Rights through Research, Training, and Innovation
Makerere University (Mak) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uganda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that launches a two-year, renewable partnership aimed at advancing child rights and well-being through rigorous research, capacity building, and policy-driven innovation.
The agreement was signed on Thursday, 14 August 2025, by Makerere Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe and UNICEF Uganda Representative Dr. Robin Nandy in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom at Makerere’s Main Building.
The MoU enlists a focused collaboration on generating child-focused data and research to inform policy and program design, analyzing how health, nutrition, education, and protection initiatives affect children, and strengthening the social sector workforce through targeted training, curricula, and performance standards.
It also emphasizes knowledge management, wide dissemination of findings to stakeholders, policy and legislative advocacy for child rights, and active student engagement through internships, skilling opportunities, and communities of practice. The renewed partnership is designed to bolster evidence-based policy-making and drive program improvements that contribute to Uganda’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
“The signing of this MoU deepens Makerere’s long-standing commitment to the well-being of Uganda’s children and Africa’s future,” said Vice Chancellor Nawangwe. “I thank Dr. Nandy for his leadership and for the continued collaboration that will expand our capacity to deliver research with immediate, practical benefits for communities.”
UNICEF’s Dr. Nandy stressed that the partnership reflects UNICEF’s global mission to protect and promote every child’s rights while translating research into policy and action. He highlighted Makerere’s proven strength in research leadership as a critical asset in the effort to generate robust evidence for government decision-making and resource allocation.
“This partnership shows our commitment to combine academic knowledge with practical results,” said Dr. Nandy. “Using Makerere’s research skills to create important information about child welfare issues and solutions, making sure that every project we start is based on solid data and aims to safeguard and support children’s basic rights.”
The partnership builds on Makerere University’s established research strengths and UNICEF’s global mandate to protect children. It complements longstanding collaborative work through Mak’s School of Public Health (MakSPH) and other faculties, reinforcing a broader university-wide commitment to evidence-based policy and community impact.
Since 2016, Makerere has participated in more than 30 UNICEF-supported research projects, which emphasize a deep mutual trust and shared mission. The Vice Chancellor noted that this history laid a robust foundation for the new MoU while also underlining opportunities to broaden collaboration beyond the health sector.
Among the notable prior initiatives is MakSPH’s joint work with UBOS and UNICEF, supported by EU funding, on the first comprehensive Food Security and Nutrition Assessment in ten districts of Northern Uganda and the West Nile region (2019). The findings of this work informed targeted nutrition programs and strategies to combat malnutrition among vulnerable populations, shaping policy directions at local and national levels.
In 2023, MakSPH, in collaboration with the National Planning Authority (NPA) and UNICEF, along with FHI360 and the Ministry of Health, produced an updated Situation Analysis of Newborn Health in Uganda. The document has guided the ministry’s national strategy development, including costed investments to improve newborn health across the country.
Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, Dean of MakSPH, hailed the partnership as a continuation of a long-standing relationship, noting that UNICEF’s support was instrumental in establishing the Makerere University Centre of Excellence for Maternal Newborn & Child Health (MNCH) in 2013.
“It’s such a delight, a great honor to finally get to this event where we can formalize our partnership with UNICEF. The partnership between UNICEF and Makerere has been a long-standing one, and we have worked together for decades, which has driven critical research and informed national policies,” she said. She emphasized that both institutions share a passion for tackling adolescent health challenges, particularly early pregnancies and marriages, which remain persistent barriers to progress.
The MoU extends collaboration beyond the School of Public Health. The Vice Chancellor noted productive partnerships across other departments, including the Department of Journalism and Communication and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, emphasizing how diverse disciplines can contribute to evidence-based policy and community well-being.
Another important example is the Caring for the Caregiver (CFC) intervention led by the Makerere Institute of Teacher Education and Research (MITER) in the College of Education and External Studies (CEES). This was implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF Uganda, and international partners. The evaluation examined caregiver emotional wellbeing, social support, and parenting stress in rural Uganda, contributing to the growing evidence base for nurturing care in resource-constrained settings.
Also, the School of Statistics and Planning in the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) has partnered with UNICEF to tackle urgent socio-economic and public health challenges. A key example is the Socio-economic Impact Assessment of the 2022 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Mubende and Kassanda districts, which examined household-level shocks, community coping strategies, and the wider disruption of livelihoods. The study’s findings have informed national policy dialogue and action planning, emphasizing that there must be stronger preparedness measures.
According to the Vice Chancellor, the university’s broader engagement with UNICEF as a driver of research, innovation, and community outreach benefits children and families throughout Uganda.
For Dr. Nandy the partnership will support student involvement in real-world operational and programmatic work, creating pipelines for young scholars to contribute to child welfare initiatives.
Both parties expressed a shared vision of translating research findings into concrete actions that strengthen child protection and opportunities for learning and development. The collaboration is expected to yield new efforts for effective interventions, sharpen the policy dialogue, and catalyze scalable innovations that improve the daily lives of Uganda’s children.
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