Dr Tatenda Makanga

Biography

An applied geo-data scientist, I am interested in the impacts of climate and the environment on health. I am a Senior Lecturer (career track) at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and a Climate and health Research Scientist at CeSHHAR Zimbabwe (LSTM Global Hub). I am also affifiated to Midlands State University (MSU) in Zimbabwe, where I am on an extended leave. At CeSHHAR I lead a team of data scientists investigating the impacts of heat on maternal and newborn health outcomes. At MSU, I lead the Place Alert Labs (PALs), a mixed methods health geography/GISc research initiative. Through PALs, my team does research on the mediating effect of climate and the environment on maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Teaching

At LSTM, I teach on Masters level courses on Climate Change and Health. 

Selected research publications

“Now that the baby is out, I can be vaccinated” a qualitative study on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in pregnant women in Kilifi, Kenya – Journal: Frontiers in Public Health – Published: 6th February 2026

Measured and self-reported hypertension among women of reproductive age, Gambia, Kenya, Mozambique – Journal: Bulletin of the World Health Organization – Published: 1st September 2025

Quantifying intra-urban socio-economic and environmental vulnerability to extreme heat events in Johannesburg, South Africa – Journal: International Journal of Biometeorology – Published: 2nd July 2025

Placental transfer of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in mother-neonate pairs: a prospective nested cohort study – Journal: BMC Infectious Diseases – Published: 1st July 2025

PREgnancy Care Integrating translational Science, Everywhere (PRECISE) a prospective cohort study of African pregnant and non-pregnant women to investigate placental disorders – cohort profile – Journal: BMJ Open – Published: 11th May 2025

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