The worsening climate crisis will severely impact the health of people in Eastern Africa, the General Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders Rolland Kaya warned on Wednesday.
The warning comes ahead of a gathering of humanitarian health and climate experts in Nairobi.
Without a bold commitment to climate adaptation and healthcare funding, the humanitarian organization said that the health crisis in the region will worsen, putting millions of lives at risk.
“Climate change drives emerging infectious diseases and amplifies existing health issues, straining healthcare systems and humanitarian responses,” said Kaya.
“Millions of people will be affected as extreme weather intensifies malnutrition, water shortages, outbreaks of infectious diseases, and forced displacements, all of which exacerbate existing issues like poverty and conflict,” he added.
The experts including officials from the Ministry of Health, the United Nations and the International Committee of the Redcross are gathering in Nairobi to discuss future climate scenarios and work on approaches to mitigate the impact.
“The historic droughts and flooding that we know is hitting East Africa and the Horn of Africa region and this might get worse because of the climate change and what we are seeing in the field is that the ground level is not sustained,” said Dr Maria Guevara, MSF’s International Medical Secretary.
Baringo and Turkana counties have experienced intense periods of drought followed by heavy rains in the recent past.
These extreme weather patterns have disrupted local agriculture, leading to widespread food insecurity.
In Baringo, an MSF intervention screened over 46,000 children for malnutrition in 2024 and found that 30 per cent suffered from acute malnutrition, while eight per cent were severely malnourished.
As seen across Kenya, South Sudan, and Somalia, the impacts of climate change are not only health crises but also contribute to displacement, resource competition, and, in some cases, armed conflict. MSF has adapted its operations to respond to the immediate health needs driven by climate change and the conflict.
The situation across these countries should serve as a wake-up call, highlighting the urgent need for climate action that protects not only the environment but also the health and well-being of vulnerable populations around the world.
World leaders have been called upon to recognise the health impacts of climate change and to provide funding that supports healthcare systems, sustainable water and food security initiatives, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Without immediate action, climate change will continue to drive health and humanitarian crises worldwide.
