Climate Crisis Brings Hunger, Disease to Horn of Africa, WHO Warns

As the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) approaches, parts of the greater Horn of Africa face the worst drought in 40 years and others have been inundated with floods that put 40 percent of South Sudan under water, damaging neighboring countries as well.

For the greater Horn of Africa, which includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda, the climate crisis creates "a perfect storm" for new disease outbreaks as well as other dangers such as famine and natural disasters, new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed.

“Climate change is having an impact here and now on the health of Africans in the greater Horn of Africa. The failure of four consecutive rainy seasons has scorched the earth and pushed people out of their homes in search of food and water,” Matshidiso Moeti, a physician and the WHO's Regional Director for Africa, said.

Famine, along with armed conflict and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic led to 4.5Mln of the region's population becoming refugees and asylum seekers along with another 12.7Mln classified as internally displaced.

Malnutrition caused by drought and rising food prices has been identified as a factor contributing to the spread of disease, as well as creating risks of starvation. Of all deaths of children under five-years-old in the world, 45 percent are caused by malnutrition.

Between 1 January and 30 October 2022, 39 acute public health events were reported, such as flooding and outbreaks of various diseases, including anthrax, measles, cholera, yellow fever, chikungunya and meningitis. This is the highest annual number of public health events since 2000 - and there are still two months of 2022 left.

Experts warn that the natural disasters are directly connected to anthropogenic global warming, and both the cause and fall-out have to be tackled, with situations such as the present one putting pressure on those in charge "to act quickly" before it gets worse.

“It is critical that world leaders reach an agreement on stemming the rise in temperatures at the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference [COP27] which is appropriately taking place in Africa. As a continent we are the least responsible for global warming, but among the first to experience its tragic impact',” Moeti said.

Recently, Africa has faced the grave effects of global warming that threaten the continent's population as well as its UNESCO-listed heritage. African leaders have repeatedly called for justice on the climate issue, noting that developing countries that suffer the most from the climate crisis impact do not get the financial help promised by the richer countries which have been most responsible for global warming.