Webinar Series: The Youth Position in Shaping Policy and Advocacy for Climate Change and Health in the Commonwealth. Series 01

SERIES 1: Climate Change as a Public Health Emergency

On April 26, 2025, Amplify Health and Development in Africa (AHDA), in partnership with the Commonwealth Youth Health Network (CYHN) and the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN), hosted the first session of our Climate and Health Webinar Series. This inaugural session, titled “Climate Change as a Public Health Emergency,” convened public health experts, youth leaders, and changemakers across Africa and Asia to spotlight the intensifying threat climate change poses to human health.

Moderated by Aloyce Urassa, Public Health Specialist and Interim Executive Director of AHDA, the session featured compelling presentations from:

• Dr. Hashaam Akhtar – Global Health Expert & Professor, Health Services Academy, Islamabad
  
• Ms. Ayesha Ali – Global Health Youth Advocate & Coordinator, Commonwealth Youth Health Network
  
• Dr. Julieth Sebba – Medical Doctor, Public Health Researcher & Executive Director, Doctor Rafiki Africa.
  

Key Takeaways:

• Climate change is not a future concern; it’s a present-day health emergency, driving increases in heatwaves, vector-borne diseases, food insecurity, and mental health challenges.
  
• Communities, women, and youth are central in designing and leading climate-health responses.
  
• There is an urgent need for climate-resilient health systems, early warning mechanisms, and policies that protect the most vulnerable.
  
• Cross-sectoral collaboration and policy integration are vital to create a sustainable impact.
  
• Digital advocacy tools, including podcasts and social media, are powerful drivers of community engagement and action.
  

Dr. Hashaam Akhtar’s keynote presentation offered a rich, evidence-based case for treating climate change as a borderless public health crisis, with actionable policy pathways and research insights.

 Did you miss the Webinar? 

Access the webinar recording and Dr. Hashaam Akhtar’s full presentation now via our AHDA Knowledge Hub.

What’s Next?

Join us on May 31st, 2025, for the second webinar in our series, “The Burden of Climate-Sensitive Diseases: Youth in Surveillance, Response, and Policy.” Registration forms for attendees and speaker nominations will be shared on our platforms.  

This journey will culminate in our Climate and Health Forum in October 2025, following the first climate change and health forum we held during the Tanzania Health Summit in 2024. The insights gained from this series will contribute to high-level recommendations and community-driven action plans.

We extend our deepest thanks to all partners, speakers, and participants for making this first webinar a success. Together, we are advancing a bold, youth-led response to one of the defining challenges of our time.

Stay engaged with AHDA through our website and social media channels for more updates and upcoming events.