Communities, Climate and Malaria: Listening to voices in Wa Municipality, Ghana
- Apr 23
- 1 min read
Climate change is not just about rising temperatures or unpredictable rainfall; it is about how these changes affect everyday lives. In the Upper West Region of Ghana, communities are seeing firsthand how shifts in rainfall and hotter dry seasons are changing the patterns of malaria, one of the country’s most persistent health challenges.
To advance malaria control, especially in northern Ghana, it is essential to comprehensively integrate climate and environmental variations with local knowledge into malaria control programs. Addressing climate-sensitive malaria transmission in this region requires combining community resilience with accurate malaria predictions to enable adaptive control measures.
Dr Agyekum’s research integrates local knowledge into data-driven decision-making, creating predictive models for early warnings of malaria outbreaks. Promoting climate-resilient health outcomes will empower communities to respond effectively to health risks and challenges, thereby enhancing their overall well-being. Additionally, this will enhance participatory approaches, resilience, and social cohesion, ensuring malaria control measures are culturally appropriate, efficient, and sustainable.
View the fieldwork booklet focused on community engagement as part of his research:
