Reimagining Healthcare Systems for the Anthropocene through Sympoietic Afrocentric Community-Led Models

Abstract

The Anthropocene epoch demands radical reimagining of healthcare systems through culturally grounded, resilience-focused frameworks. This paper applies an Afrocentric lens to examine the interconnected roles of patients, community leadership, and healthcare providers in addressing climate-driven health crises. We center Indigenous knowledge systems and communal governance models that have sustained African societies through environmental stressors for millennia. For patients, we highlight how climate change exacerbates existing burdens—from malnutrition to neglected tropical diseases—while neo-colonial health infrastructures remain ill-equipped to respond. Leadership—encompassing traditional healers, local governance structures, and community organizers—emerges as a critical alternative to Western-style "payer" systems, offering culturally attuned strategies for resource allocation and crisis response. Providers must decolonize care delivery by integrating sustainable Indigenous practices with clinical medicine, reducing reliance on ecologically harmful technologies.

Drawing on case studies such as Rwanda's community health worker networks and Ubuntu-inspired disaster response models, we propose an Afrocentric framework for Anthropocene-ready healthcare: (1) community-led surveillance systems for climate-sensitive diseases, (2) land-based healing practices that regenerate ecosystems, and (3) participatory governance replacing top-down financing models. The paper argues that Africa's historical experiences of resilience offer vital lessons for global healthcare sustainability. We conclude with policy recommendations centering traditional knowledge, including reparative financing for climate-vulnerable communities and South-South partnerships for low-carbon medical innovation.