The African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA) recently participated in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Coalition for Health Research and Development (CHReaD). The meeting underscored the need for civil society organizations, research institutions, academia, and the private sector to strengthen Kenya’s research and innovation ecosystem.
ACHCGA was represented by Arale Mohammed, who contributed to discussions on the growing intersection between climate change, health systems, and gender justice.
Speaking during plenary, Mohammed said, ” There is a strong correlation between health and climate change, and I am glad that the coalition is prioritizing this.” Mohammed also underscored the need for inclusion and diversity while pursuing innovation.
The meeting highlighted CHReaD’s significant progress between 2024 and 2025, particularly in advancing health research advocacy, strengthening policy engagement, and building partnerships across the research ecosystem. Additionally, the meeting highlighted upcoming global health campaigns such as World TB Day and World Antimicrobial Awareness Week.
The members of the coalition discussed the opportunities in 2026, including (but not limited to) capacity-building initiatives, technical support for Kenya’s Health Products and Technologies (HPT), the Local Manufacturing Strategy, and collaborations with institutions such as AMREF Research and Duke University to develop a market intelligence hub for health innovations.
Notably, the AGM emphasized the need to integrate climate change and health research, while recognizing that climate-shocks have in recent years shaped disease patterns, health infrastructure, and community resilience. ACHCGA underscored will continue to support the coalition’s gender-responsive and climate-sensitive approaches to emerging health technologies, including artificial intelligence and genomics.