02910nas a2200397   4500000000100000008004100001260004400042653001900086653002600105653001100131653002600142653002900168653003600197100001900233700001500252700001300267700001400280700001500294700001200309700001500321700001300336700002100349700001200370700001300382700001300395700001200408700001200420700001500432700001700447245014300464856007300607300000900680490000700689520180200696022001402498       2024                            d  bSpringer Science and Business Media LLC10aClimate change10aVector-borne diseases10aAfrica10aenvironmental justice10aResearch and development10aPan-African funding initiatives1 aObame-Nkoghe J1 aAgossou AE1 aMboowa G1 aKamgang B1 aCaminade C1 aDuke DC1 aGitheko AK1 aOgega OM1 aEngone Elloué N1 aSarr FB1 aNkoghe D1 aKengne P1 aNdam NT1 aPaupy C1 aBockarie M1 aVoua Otomo P00aClimate-influenced vector-borne diseases in Africa: a call to empower the next generation of African researchers for sustainable solutions  uhttps://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s40249-024-01193-5.pdf  a1-100 v133 a<p>We look at the link between climate change and vector-borne diseases in low- and middle-income countries in Africa. The large endemicity and escalating threat of diseases such as malaria and arboviral diseases, intensified by climate change, disproportionately affects vulnerable communities globally. We highlight the urgency of prioritizing research and development, advocating for robust scientific inquiry to promote adaptation strategies, and the vital role that the next generation of African research leaders will play in addressing these challenges. Despite significant challenges such as funding shortages within countries, various pan-African-oriented funding bodies such as the African Academy of Sciences, the Africa Research Excellence Fund, the Wellcome Trust, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as initiatives such as the African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence and the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association, have empowered (or are empowering) these researchers by supporting capacity building activities, including continental and global networking, skill development, mentoring, and African-led research. This article underscores the urgency of increased national investment in research, proposing the establishment of research government agencies to drive evidence-based interventions. Collaboration between governments and scientific communities, sustained by pan-African funding bodies, is crucial. Through these efforts, African nations are likely to enhance the resilience and adaptive capacity of their systems and communities by navigating these challenges effectively, fostering scientific excellence and implementing transformative solutions against climate-sensitive vector-borne diseases.</p>
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