The AFRIVERSE HOSPITAL team investigates the health impacts of climate change, with a focus on extreme heat in African cities. Our work responds to growing evidence that rising temperatures, particularly heatwaves, are a leading and direct risk to human health globally. Across Africa, which is among the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world, the consequences of heat exposure are already being observed, including increases in hospital admissions and mortality linked to cardiovascular, respiratory and mental health conditions.

Despite this growing burden, there remains limited evidence on the extent to which these health outcomes can be attributed to climate change. Our team aims to fill this gap by working in South Africa, Kenya and Cameroon to explore how temperature extremes affect health outcomes in cities with varying climates and levels of vulnerability.

The project is being implemented in two key phases. First, we collect and analyse individual level hospital admissions data, examining associations between temperature variables (such as mean, maximum and diurnal temperature range) and specific health outcomes. We also identify heat events, defined by location-specific thresholds, that coincide with increases in hospital admissions. In the second phase, we apply climate detection and attribution methods to determine whether these extreme temperature events can be linked to human-induced climate change.

Through this work, the HOSPITAL team contributes critical evidence to better understand climate-related health risks in Africa and to inform adaptation and public health responses.

Team leads

• Thandi Kapwata – South African Medical Research Council
• Izidine Pinto – Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)
• Joyce Kimutai – Kenya Meteorological Services/Imperial College London
• Elvis Ndikum – University of Yaounde, Cameroon

Team members

• Elvis Ndikum – University of Yaounde I
• Pefura Eric – University of Yaounde I-JAMOT HOSPITAL
• Mbeh Adolf – University of Yaounde I
• Mbida Stan – MOH
• Kiming Ignatius – National Observatory on Climate Change
• Andela Carine – University Teaching Hospital
• Ahanda Delphine – Jamot Hospital
• Joyce Kimutai – Kenya Meteorological Services/Imperial College London
• Patricia Nyinguro – Kenya Meteorological Services
• Christine Mahonga – Kenya Meteorological Services
• Wesley Oghera – Ministry of Health, Kenya
• Rose Mokaya – Ministry of Health, Kenya
• Thandi Kapwata – SAMRC
• Caradee Wright – SAMRC
• Candice Webster – SAMRC
• Natasha Naidoo – SAMRC