The Kenya National Public Health Institute [KNPHI] through the Division of Zoonotic Disease Unit in collaboration with Washington States University [WSU] is hosting a Climate and Health Risk Modelling and Early Warning Systems (CHARMES) Project Mini Summit, scheduled for 16th to 19th March in Nairobi and Isiolo Counties.

The event bringing together multiple stakeholders on board including the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI),University of Nairobi is geared towards Strengthening community health in a changing climate directly contributing to humanitarian emergencies from heatwaves, wildfires, floods, tropical storms and hurricanes and they are increasing in scale, frequency and intensity.

Among the areas of discussion on Day 1 at Afya Annex include:

●Overview of CHARMES Project – Potential areas of collaboration with Ministry of Health/KNPHI
●Population-Based Integrated Disease Surveillance [PBIDS]
●Community and Policy Engagement in CHARMES Project
● Introduction to Mental Health Pilot Study

CHARMES refers to integrated approaches that use data modeling to predict and mitigate the health impacts of climate change, such as disease outbreaks and extreme heat. These systems, often developed in collaboration with organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and regional agencies, aim to strengthen health systems by enabling proactive, data-driven responses. 

KNPHI through ZDU plays a crucial role in the One Health approach adopted because of the challenges the country has experienced while addressing the enormous burden of endemic zoonotic diseases, including in the areas of laboratory diagnosis, surveillance and response to outbreaks.