The Lancet Countdown Africa Regional Centre was introduced at the University of Pretoria on 16 March 2026, marking a significant step in advancing Africa-led evidence on the health impacts of climate change.
Based at Future Africa, the University of Pretoria’s pan-African platform for collaborative research, the Africa Centre forms part of the broader Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.
The introduction of the Africa Regional Centre reflects growing recognition that effective responses require locally grounded, context-specific data. Speakers at the event highlighted the importance of evidence that is relevant, trusted and rooted in lived realities to inform policy and change.
Speakers including Dr Marina Romanello (Lancet Countdown), Professor Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi (Africa Centre Director), Professor Francis Petersen (University of Pretoria), Professor Brama Koné (WHO Regional Office for Africa), Dr Nana Boaduo (National Research Foundation of South Africa) and Dr Githinji Gitahi (Amref Health Africa) all underscored the need for Africa‑led evidence that reflects the continent’s lived realities. They highlighted persistent gaps in how global knowledge systems represent African experiences, noting that policymakers depend on regional, context‑specific data to drive effective responses. Across the event, there was a shared emphasis on strengthening connections between science, policy and communities, building trust in evidence, and elevating African scientific leadership within global climate change and health discourse.