Climate change poses a growing threat to human health and wellbeing, especially in the Global South, where climate impacts are compounded by other issues. However, historical efforts to address carbon emissions have been divorced from efforts to tackle the health challenges exacerbated by climate change. To address these underfunded challenges, Grand Challenges Canada, alongside the South African Medical Research Council, launched a global call for proposals to find and fund innovations mitigating the growing health impacts of climate change in low- and middle-income countries.
Our call garnered an incredible 772 submissions from 80 countries, with 75% of applicants based in sub-Saharan Africa. Addressing topics like malnutrition, disease burden, mental health and healthcare infrastructure, the proposals highlighted a wide range of innovative solutions. After a rigorous review, 40+ projects were nominated for grant awards, with CAN $6 million in grant funding, to develop and test their innovations. The selected projects will help support community adaptation to the health impacts of climate change, focusing on communicable diseases, malnutrition, increasing community climate literacy, developing early climate warning systems, and more.
Read the press release about our award nominees and our report on the insights gleaned from our first climate change and health request for proposals.
Learn more about how we’re paving the way to a more resilient future – see some innovator spotlights and watch the introductory video here:
Get to know some of the innovations nominated for funding awards in our first climate and health funding call, including Bridge to Health Medical and Dental, which will test a point-of-care ultrasound device to detect early-stage dengue fever in the Peruvian Amazon, and Obafemi Awolowo University, which will test the application of biofilters to address indoor air pollution in Nigeria:
Questions? Get in touch at ac.se1735132521gnell1735132521ahcdn1735132521arg@o1735132521fni1735132521.
