Amref, Health Care Without Harm Forge Africa Climate-Resilient Health Partnership

 

Amref Health Africa and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) have entered into a strategic partnership to help African health systems respond to the growing health risks associated with climate change.

The agreement was signed during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York, bringing together the two organisations to support climate-resilient and lower-carbon healthcare across the continent.

The partnership will focus on mobilising funding, supporting local research and helping health facilities and workers prepare for climate-related challenges, including extreme heat, floods, droughts, disease outbreaks and disruptions to essential services.

It will cover four main areas: assessing climate risks and carbon footprints across health systems; planning and designing climate-smart health facilities; training healthcare workers, policymakers and climate negotiators; and documenting African solutions that can be adapted and expanded elsewhere.

Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Amref Health Africa, said the partnership would help address a key gap between climate commitments and the resources available to put them into practice.

“Africa does not lack climate and health priorities; what is missing is financed delivery,” he said.

He said climate resilience must reach health facilities, community health workers and households dealing with the effects of climate change.

The partnership was formalised during a high-level UNGA81 roundtable that brought together governments, climate funds, philanthropies and civil society organisations to discuss practical investment opportunities for African health systems.

Building African capacity

The collaboration will build on Amref’s Climate Change and Health Negotiators’ Curriculum, launched in September 2025.

The curriculum is designed to give African climate negotiators the knowledge and tools needed to bring health considerations into climate policies and financing discussions.

The partnership will also draw on the Centre for Policy and Research on Climate Change and Health at Amref International University.

The centre conducts research in areas including climate-health data systems, health workforce resilience, health economics and financing, climate-sensitive diseases, loss and damage, gender and equity.

The organisations expect the research and training to support policymakers and other stakeholders as they develop climate and health programmes.

HCWH brings network of healthcare institutions

HCWH brings its Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) network, which has 135 members across 11 African countries.

The network works with healthcare institutions to reduce their environmental footprint while preparing for the effects of climate change.

HCWH’s regional work also involves groundWork, Friends of the Earth South Africa, an environmental justice organisation that works with communities affected by dirty energy and toxic industries.

groundWork coordinates the GGHH network in Africa and has contributed to research on the health effects of coal-fired power generation in South Africa. It has also worked to strengthen skills within the health sector, including through professionally accredited GGHH workshops.

Emily Bancroft, Chief Executive Officer of Health Care Without Harm, said the partnership would combine the strengths of both organisations.

“By bringing together Amref’s deep community reach and leadership across Africa with our expertise in sustainable, resilient health care, we can build and scale solutions in Africa, for Africa,” she said.

Focus on practical solutions

The partnership will bring together governments, researchers, communities, funders and healthcare institutions to support climate-related action within health systems.

The organisations will work on vulnerability assessments, carbon-footprint analysis, climate-smart facility planning and training for healthcare professionals and policymakers.

They also plan to document approaches that are already working in African countries, with the aim of helping other countries adapt and expand those solutions.

For Amref and HCWH, the partnership is intended to strengthen the link between climate policy and the delivery of healthcare, ensuring that climate resilience is considered in how health facilities are planned, financed and operated across Africa.