The Standards for Official Statistics on Climate Health Interactions Conference Calls for Stronger Climate Health Indicators to Guide Policy and Protect Communities.

The call followed 3 days of dialogue and technical exchange at the Standards for Official Statistics on Climate-Health Interactions (SOSCHI) Conference held in Kigali from 3 to 5 December 2025.

Climate change is already driving major health impacts across Africa, but most countries still collect climate and health data separately. 

To protect vulnerable communities and plan effectively, countries need comparable climate health indicators that show where risks are rising and how to respond.

A joint communiqué from the Kigali conference stressed that stronger climate health intelligence will improve national strategies, enable targeted interventions, and support early-warning systems.

Delegates from 23 countries agreed that harmonised indicators are essential for shifting from reactive action to evidence-based planning. 

They committed to integrating the SOSCHI indicators into national statistical systems, focusing on extreme weather, water and vector-borne disease and mental health.

Participants also emphasised sustainability, pointing out that climate health monitoring must rely on long-term domestic investment, skilled staff, and durable systems – not short-term projects. 

Strengthening civil registration, improving timely health data, and enhancing environmental and meteorological monitoring were also identified as key foundations, alongside better data sharing and interoperability.

The conference committed to scaling and institutionalising the SOSCHI framework. 

The communiqué urges governments, researchers, and funders to help deliver robust climate-health metrics that guide policy, build resilience, and protect populations from the growing impacts of climate change.