Page 184 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

expanded supply will improve equity in global response to climate-related health issues in
distribution and strengthen the ability of countries, low- and middle-income countries. Discussions
especially African countries, to plan preventive referenced the 2025 Global Climate & Health Survey
campaigns and to respond to emergencies. There and emphasised community-centred innovation,
is much support for this groundbreaking study. resilient health systems, stronger governance,
equitable research leadership, sustainable
Aligning Research and financing, and digital integration. The meeting
Innovation Funding in Africa supported early funding for the NEXA Climate
& Health Innovation Programme to coordinate
The SAMRC is involved in several forums that
bring together funders to better coordinate and investment and partnerships for scalable, climate-
align their investments in research and innovation resilient health systems. Initial commitments
projects and programmes on the African continent showed growing momentum for long-term action.
and beyond. They include the African Health
Research and Innovation Funders Forum (AHRIFF), SWEAT Africa
the CEPI Medicines Counter Measures (MCM) Following discussions at AHRIFF 2025 on capacity-
Forum, GLOPID-R and ESSENCE. building across the continent, SWEAT Africa
convened from 13–14 February 2026 in Stellenbosch,
The 5th AHRIFF meeting took place from 5–7 South Africa, bringing together approximately 400
November 2025 at The President Hotel, Cape Town, participants, including ecosystem enablers, startups,
held jointly with the Grand Challenges Network investors, and funders such as Limited Partners (LPs),
Strategy & Coordination Meeting and the Calestous philanthropic foundations, and venture capitalists.
Juma Science Leadership Fellows meeting. The event was organised by accelerators, venture
The forum, co-hosted by the SAMRC, Gates capital firms, and startups from across Africa and co-
Foundation, Science for Africa Foundation, Virgin founded by the SAMRC.
Unite, and DSTI, brought together approximately
100 participants representing funders investing in Designed as a community accelerator rather than
African health research, under the theme: “How can a traditional conference, SWEAT Africa emphasises
we ensure a multiplier impact of funding?” active collaboration, idea-sharing, and network-
building. Participants, including founders, students,
Convening for Climate & investors, and operators, engaged in hands-on
Health Innovation activities to strengthen Africa’s tech and biotech
The Climate & Health Innovation Meeting, hosted ecosystems, foster partnerships, and accelerate
by SAMRC as a side event of the AHRIFF and in innovative solutions. By creating a space for
partnership with the Science for Africa Foundation collaboration, trust-building, and collective effort,
and Grand Challenges Canada, gathered senior SWEAT Africa contributes directly to developing the
leaders to promote a coordinated, locally driven next generation of African innovators and leaders.

Participants at the AHRIFF 2025 held in Cape Town in November 2025.

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