Philanthropy must go beyond gap-filling and commit to funding African expertise
The devastating links between climate change and global health are well-documented, with the Lancet Countdown’s 2024 report showing climate related health-threats are more dangerous than ever. Yet at a time when urgent action is required, global aid budgets are shrinking and funding models remain outdated. In an increasingly polarised world, philanthropy has an opportunity, and a responsibility, to step up. African-led solutions to climate-driven health crises already exist, pioneered by local researchers and practitioners who understand the challenges first-hand, but these innovators lack the funding and recognition they deserve. In the next phase of philanthropic giving, this must change.
With decades of experience across public health research and policy on the one hand, and impact-driven investment on the other, we have seen the transformative potential of partnerships between African and global health institutions.
To create real impact and a world where all people and our planet thrive, philanthropic investment must shift from short-term interventions to sustained investment in African-led climate and health research. The role of philanthropy must evolve – not as charity, but as a strategic investment in global health security.
The climate-health crisis in Africa – a call for philanthropic investment
Africans contribute the least to climate change but suffer its worst consequences. Africa’s death rate from climate-related causes is 60-80% higher than any other region, as fragile health systems struggle to adapt to extreme weather events. Yet, for too long, philanthropic giving has overlooked African expertise, further deepening pre-existing inequalities in global health.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are an important example of how climate change exacerbates existing health crises. Rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are expanding the geographic reach of NTDs, making eradication efforts more difficult. In Rwanda, increasing temperatures threaten to expand the range of schistosomiasis, jeopardizing elimination efforts and exposing new communities to infection. In Kenya, extreme rainfall has overwhelmed sanitation systems, accelerating the spread of intestinal worms and putting entire communities at greater health risk. In Nigeria, malnutrition is worsening due to climate-driven food insecurity, making it harder to treat parasitic infections like schistosomiasis.
A recent report from the END Fund highlights how African-led innovations are strengthening health system resilience to climate change. Rwanda has embedded health and climate adaptation metrics into its national climate strategies, setting a precedent for integrated approaches. Ethiopia has established robust disease surveillance and climate risk assessments, ensuring rapid response capabilities. These success stories prove that locally driven strategies are the most effective way to counter climate-driven health threats.
Scaling innovations: How can philanthropy lead the way?
Philanthropy has an opportunity to step in where traditional aid and government financing are falling short, driving investment into African-led health innovations that can build climate resilience. The sector is uniquely positioned to support these efforts as it has the ability to take bold risks, break down silos, and uplift voices that have long been ignored. It can champion community-led innovations in Africa that are crucial in addressing NTDs and the growing health threats linked to climate change.
To be effective, philanthropy must break from top-down models and embody a trust-based approach to African leadership. This means funding not just projects but institutions, data systems, and long-term capacity.
The philanthropic sector must inform its funding strategies through strong partnerships that centre African institutions and communities, and collaborate with global health stakeholders, using shared data and knowledge to enhance national research capabilities and strengthen the capacity of local organisations.
The power of radical collaboration in achieving systemic change can be immense. Initiatives like The Elders, The B Team, and The Africa Partners Collective demonstrate how philanthropy, when rooted in equity and shared leadership, can mobilise diverse stakeholders and resources to create significant impact.
As NTDs affect almost one in two across Africa, philanthropy must help drive progress towards elimination, breaking away from traditional, top-down models that often overlook local expertise. It’s about shifting power, trust, and resources to those closest to the challenges, enabling them to implement grassroots, data-driven interventions that can lead to lasting systemic change.
Redefining the role of philanthropy in global health
Ultimately, we envision philanthropy as a catalyst for equitable, cross-continental partnerships that not only bridge the gaps between Africa and Europe by placing trust, resources and power in the hands of communities, but also reframe what we consider emergencies in global health.
By collaborating with the private and public sectors, we believe that philanthropy can harness its flexibility to seed and scale bold innovations, ushering a new era of radical collaboration – where diverse voices lead the charge in addressing global health crises and where equity is not just a principle but a practice.