A new initiative is set to bolster health systems in West and Central Africa against the mounting threats of climate change.
The CHINNOVA project, backed by a CA$4.8 million investment from IDRC Canada and the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, will run from 2025 to 2028. Spearheaded by the Association of African Universities in partnership with key regional institutions, the project aims to address the growing burden of climate-related health issues in a region already grappling with the spread of vector-borne diseases and other climate-induced challenges.
CHINNOVA is more than a research project—it is a comprehensive effort to enhance local capacity, improve data collection, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. By creating a network that bridges meteorology, environmental science, epidemiology, and social research, the initiative intends to develop targeted strategies to predict and mitigate the adverse health impacts of a warming climate. Experts involved in the project underscore its urgency. Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, for example, highlighted how the initiative will integrate the needs of displaced persons, refugees, and indigenous communities into its framework, ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left behind.
In a region where the climate crisis has tangible consequences on daily life, CHINNOVA’s approach of funding innovative, locally driven projects is particularly welcome. By issuing an open call for proposals, the project hopes to support up to ten groundbreaking initiatives, providing not only financial backing but also technical and methodological assistance. This strategy reflects a growing consensus that effective solutions to climate change must be grounded in local realities and driven by a spirit of inclusivity.
The launch of CHINNOVA comes at a critical time. As governments and institutions worldwide grapple with the escalating costs of climate inaction, this project stands as a reminder that collaborative, cross-disciplinary efforts can pave the way for resilient, adaptive health systems. The project’s commitment to building a robust knowledge management system and establishing a network for systematic data collection promises to yield insights that will inform policy and practice well beyond the life of the project.
For many in the region, the start of CHINNOVA offers a glimmer of hope. It signals a shift from reactive measures to proactive strategies in tackling climate-related health challenges. As climate change continues to disrupt lives and livelihoods, the project’s emphasis on integrating indigenous knowledge with modern science is a crucial step toward crafting sustainable, context-specific solutions. In a world increasingly defined by environmental uncertainty, initiatives like CHINNOVA are not just innovative—they are essential for safeguarding the future of public health in West and Central Africa.
