Journal Article

Climate change and malaria control in Africa: country experiences and strategic responses

Mutabazi, Alphonse, Ayala, Diego, Mukashema, Clarisse, Girond, Florian, Merle, Corinne S., Ngou, Olivia, Pothin, Emilie, Aimain, Alexis Serge, Tchouatieu, Andre-Marie, de Chevigny, Thibaud, Deuve, Jane L., Hakizimana, Emmanuel, Diouf, Ibrahima, Muhire, Andrew, Muteba, Christel, Kaseba, André Ngombe, Razanakotomalala, Voahangy, Fleutelot, Eric, Caminade, Cyril, Coulibaly, Kolotioloma Alama, Tanoh, Mea Antoine, Diar, Mahamat Saleh Issakha, Kodindo, Israël, Yahouedo, Anankpo Gildas, Diallo, Ibrahima, Djaskano, Mahamat Idriss, Ndiop, Médoune, Noseda, Veronica

2026

Overview

Climate change is recognized as a critical determinant of malaria transmission in the coming decades. This manuscript synthesizes testimonies from six African countries (Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Madagascar, Rwanda, and Senegal) highlighting how climate variability has recently influenced malaria epidemiology and how national malaria control programmes (NMCPs) are adapting. The correlation between changing patterns of rainfalls, floodings, and how they affect the expansion of mosquito vector habitats with malaria transmission has been reported. Adaptive strategies adopted by the NMCPs include integrating climate and health data, strengthening surveillance and establishing early warning systems, engaging and educating communities, promoting multisectoral collaboration, and leveraging technology and innovation. However, systemic barriers, such as limited data integration capacity, infrastructural deficits, behavioural factors, and financial constraints, continue to impede effective implementation of adaptive strategies. Addressing these barriers requires sustained political commitment, enhanced technical capacity, operational and implementation research, and long-term investment in climate-resilient health systems. The findings offer valuable insights for broader regional efforts to align malaria control strategies with climate change.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Africa / Africa - epidemiology / Analysis / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / Case studies / Climate Change / Climate variability / Climatic changes / Collaboration / Communicable Disease Control - methods / Disease transmission / Early warning systems / Entomology / Environmental aspects / Epidemics / Epidemiology / Floods / Health aspects / Human diseases / Humans / Infectious Diseases / Insecticides / Malaria / Malaria - epidemiology / Malaria - prevention & control / Malaria - transmission / Meeting Report / Methods / Microbiology / Mosquitoes / Parasitology / Population / Prevention / Public Health / Rain / Risk factors / Surveillance / Temperature / Trends / Tropical diseases / Tropical Medicine / Vector / Vector control / Vector-borne diseases / Warning systems