Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) is delighted to be a partner in a new extreme weather events early warning system project.
The WEATHER project (Warning system for Extreme weather events, Awareness Technology for Healthcare, Equitable delivery, and Resilience), funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research, addresses the rising health impacts of extreme weather events (EWEs) such as flooding, which may cause severe health challenges, including waterborne disease outbreaks.
Officially launched in Durban during February 2025, the WEATHER project aims to develop and implement an early warning system (EWS) to enhance healthcare resilience, disaster preparedness, and public health responses in vulnerable communities in South Africa.
Project partners include teams from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, AHRI, and international universities, including the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the University of the West of Scotland, and the University of Portsmouth.
AHRI will collaborate on the WEATHER project via one of its climate and health studies, called ASTRA. ASTRA aims to strengthen community and health system resilience to EWEs for marginalised populations living with HIV and/or tuberculosis in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia.
“The WEATHER and ASTRA projects exemplify how transdisciplinary researchers can collaborate across institutions and contexts to tackle complex challenges like climate change. Together, we aim to generate evidence that informs policies to strengthen health system resilience to extreme weather events,” said AHRI faculty member and principal investigator of the ASTRA project, Prof Collins Iwuji.
Together, WEATHER and ASTRA are committed to building a healthier, more resilient future for our communities. Stay tuned for more updates on progress and impact.