Deadline: 22 July 2026.
Nexa, a new initiative for innovation in climate and health, co-led by Major Challenges Canada and the Science for Africa Foundation, in collaboration with a global consortium of partners and funders, draws on the proven Grand Challenges model to accelerate the roll-out of high-impact solutions at the intersection of climate and health.
Applications must relate directly to at least one of the following strategic areas of focus:
- Early warning and monitoring systems that take climate-related hazards into account : innovations that enable healthcare professionals to anticipate and cope with the effects of heat, poor air quality and/or changes in mosquito ecology (leading to the accelerated spread of malaria and dengue fever). These innovations should aim to integrate meteorological and climate data with health data in order to predict climate-related health risks and guide surveillance measures and the delivery of health services. Such innovations can draw on artificial intelligence, digital health tools and other technologies.
- Climate-appropriate healthcare services : innovations aimed at strengthening the local response to risks associated with infections transmitted by mosquitoes and/or the health effects of heat and poor air quality. Includes innovations that facilitate triage, diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care, particularly for people with chronic non-communicable and climate-sensitive diseases, children, older people and pregnant women . Includes climate-smart solutions that are effective in low-resource settings and under extreme weather conditions, particularly in cases of extreme heat and humidity.