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The Zambian government has expressed concern over the rising rates of mortality and morbidity linked to climate-sensitive disease outbreaks, including malaria, diarrhoea, cholera, and respiratory infections.
According to available data, the incidence of malaria in Zambia increased significantly, from 444 cases per 1,000 people in 2020 to 565 per 1,000 in 2023.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi, raised the alarm during the National Climate Change and Health Capacity Building Workshop held at Sarovar Hotel in Lusaka on Tuesday.
Lishimpi revealed that Zambia’s recent cholera outbreak resulted in 432 deaths from more than 10,887 cases recorded across nine provinces.
“The undeniable reality is that climate-related health emergencies will continue to severely strain our health systems,” he warned.
Lishimpi stated that: “We face escalating risks of climate-sensitive diseases, worsened by rising temperatures, floods, and droughts.”
He stressed the urgent need for countries to systematically develop climate-resilient and adaptive health systems and communities.
Lishimpi explained that climate change was driving extreme weather patterns and environmental disruptions, including prolonged droughts, flash floods, and unpredictable dry spells, all of which pose significant risks to public health.
“The impact of these risks is so severe that President Hakainde Hichilema declared a national disaster following the El Niño-induced drought, which devastated the agriculture sector and affected over one million households,” he noted.
Lishimpi also highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on Africa, noting that although the continent contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, it suffers some of the worst consequences.
“Africa continues to face increasing daily temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and recurring droughts, leading to food insecurity and widespread malnutrition,” he said.
“These conditions are fueling the spread of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, such as HIV, Ebola, COVID-19, Mpox, and climate-driven cholera outbreaks.”
Read More: Climate change threatens Zambia’s food security, warns advocate
Meanwhile, Africa CDC Regional Director, Dr. Lul Riek, emphasized the need for a fundamental change in pandemic preparedness and response strategies.
“Preparedness, prevention, and response must now integrate climate impacts at the core of public health systems.
“This meeting is not just a necessity—it is our collective responsibility to safeguard the well-being of all Zambians,” Riek said.
In a related message, European Union Ambassador to Zambia Karolina Stasiak—represented by EU Health Programme Manager Marta Palmarola—said climate change was no longer a distant concern.
“It is a present-day reality, and its impacts on human health, ecosystems, and biodiversity are increasingly severe and interconnected,” Palmarola stated.
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