South Africa Launches First Climate and Health Surveillance Platform to Support Climate-Health Intelligence and Decision-Making

21, May 2026

South Africa has launched its first national Climate and Health Surveillance platform, available at Climate Health Surveillance South Africa, a pioneering research and decision-support tool designed to strengthen the country’s ability to understand and respond to the growing health impacts of climate change.

The platform was conceptualised and developed by Prof Caradee Wright with support from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the University of Pretoria.

The launch comes as South Africa increasingly experiences the health effects of climate-related environmental conditions, from extreme heat and worsening air pollution to flooding, drought, and climate-sensitive diseases. In recent years, research led by Prof Wright and colleagues has highlighted how prolonged heat exposure places outdoor workers, children, the elderly, and low-income communities at increased risk of dehydration, heat stress, respiratory illness, and other adverse health outcomes, risks expected to intensify as temperatures continue to rise.

Against this backdrop, the platform was developed to help researchers, policymakers, public health practitioners, and related stakeholders better visualise and interpret climate, environmental, and health data within a single system. Rather than functioning as a public alert platform, the initiative is intended to strengthen climate-health surveillance and support evidence-based planning, research, and policy decision-making.

Prof Wright, Chief Specialist Scientist and head of the Climate and Health Research Programme at the SAMRC, said the platform responds to the growing need for locally relevant climate-health intelligence capable of informing practical public health responses in South Africa.

“Climate change is no longer a future threat, it is already affecting health outcomes and placing pressure on vulnerable communities and health systems,” said Prof Wright. “This platform creates an important foundation for understanding where risks are emerging, how environmental conditions intersect with health, and how evidence can better support decision-making and preparedness.”

The current launch represents Phase 1 of the platform and focuses primarily on surveillance and data visualisation capabilities. Future phases are expected to expand public engagement functionality, including awareness and communication tools aimed at strengthening broader understanding of climate-related health risks.

The initiative reflects South Africa’s growing leadership in climate and health science and builds on years of interdisciplinary environmental health research led by Prof Wright and collaborators. It also aligns with increasing global calls for countries to strengthen climate-health intelligence systems capable of informing climate resilience, health adaptation, and policy action.

Visit: Climate Health Surveillance South Africa

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