Climate change severely threatens global public health, with sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) projected to experience profound impacts. This scoping review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of current research on climate change and its health implications in SSA while identifying research gaps and outlining the necessary resources and policy interventions to strengthen public health resilience in the region. Literature was retrieved from four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science) using the keywords “climate change,” “health,” and “sub-Saharan Africa” and this study was conducted using the PRISMA framework. The inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed studies published in English between January 1, 2001, and August 1, 2024, that examined the effects of climate change in SSA, assessed its impacts on health outcomes,A total of 7851 journal articles were identified from the initial search, and after screening, 153 studies were included for review. The included studies were published between January 2001 and August 2024. Although extensive studies have been conducted on extreme heat (71 studies), drought (45 studies), extreme precipitation events (52 studies), and flooding (34 studies), important themes such as air quality (10 studies), chemical water quality (8 studies) and natural disasters (8 studies) have been understudied. Additionally, this scoping review revealed a geographical gap in climate change and health studies, as only 24 out of 53 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were represented. The key deficiencies identified include limited funding, technological constraints, inadequate climate policies, and a lack of community-focused adaptation plans. Moreover, this review highlights the urgent need for resilient healthcare systems capable of addressing climate-related health risks effectively. Addressing these gaps is essential for developing targeted strategies to mitigate climate change’s health impacts and increase resilience in SSA communities. This review aims to inform policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders about critical areas requiring attention and investment by enhancing our understanding of these challenges and gaps. Strengthening research capacities, fostering collaboration, and implementing evidence-based policies are imperative steps toward achieving sustainable health outcomes in the face of a changing climate in SSA.

Climate change severely threatens global public health, with sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) projected to experience profound impacts. This scoping review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of current research on climate change and its health implications in SSA while identifying research gaps and outlining the necessary resources and policy interventions to strengthen public health resilience in the region. Literature was retrieved from four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science) using the keywords “climate change,” “health,” and “sub-Saharan Africa”. A total of 7851 journal articles were identified from the initial search, and after screening, 153 studies were included for review. The included studies were published between January 2001 and August 2024. Although extensive studies have been conducted on extreme heat (71 studies), drought (45 studies), extreme precipitation events (52 studies), and flooding (34 studies), important themes such as air quality (10 studies), chemical water quality (8 studies) and natural disasters (8) have been understudied. Additionally, this scoping review revealed a geographical gap in climate change and health studies, as only 24 out of 53 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were represented. The key deficiencies identified include limited funding, technological constraints, inadequate climate policies, and a lack of community-focused adaptation plans. Moreover, this review highlights the urgent need for resilient healthcare systems capable of addressing climate-related health risks effectively. Addressing these gaps is essential for developing targeted strategies to mitigate climate change’s health impacts and increase resilience in SSA communities. This review aims to inform policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders about critical areas requiring attention and investment by enhancing our understanding of these challenges and gaps. Strengthening research capacities, fostering collaboration, and implementing evidence-based policies are imperative steps toward achieving sustainable health outcomes in the face of a changing climate in sub-Saharan Africa.

The bacteriological survey of abattoir wastewater in Aba was investigated. Samples of wastewater contaminated with abattoir waste were collected at ten different spots in the abattoir. Nutrient agar was utilised as the media for the total aerobic plate count, McConkey agar was used for the coliform count, and cellulolytic media was used for the cellulolytic count. It was done using the pour plate method. The bacteria were identified using colonial morphology, gram staining, and biochemical assays. All of the aerobic plates, coliform count and cellulolytic count for the abattoir wastewater ranged from 1.03 x107 to 7.1 x 106 CFU/mL, 5.8 x 106 to 1.2 x 106 CFU/mL and 3.7 x106 to1.3x 106 CFU/mL, respectively. Streptococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., Vibrio cholerae, Klebsiella spp., and Escherichia coli were among the bacteria that were isolated. This survey further confirmed the presence of varying bacteria genera in abattoir wastewater and the expedient nature of treating wastewater rather than releasing it to the physical environment as it poses a threat to public health.