The ever-increasing cases and mortality due to malaria remains one of the most important public health threats, especially in sub-Saharan Africa—where this burden is considerably high. In 2020, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for about 95% of all cases and 96% of all malaria deaths with about 80% of these deaths reported in children under the age of 5. This review, adopting a public health focus, aimed to understand the challenges of malaria control in sub-Saharan Africa despite ongoing public health interventions. Our review highlights two important findings. First, the increasing resistance of malaria parasites to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and its partner drugs coupled with increased vector resistance to pyrethroids and insecticides is reversing the progress of public health interventions in keeping malaria under control. Second, the wanning for the efficacy of the WHO-approved vaccine i.e. RTS,S from 60 to 70% following 18 months of observation, and its short-term availability remains an impediment to achieving the WHO target of producing malaria vaccines with more than 75% efficacy by 2030. Our findings underline the need to reassess research priorities with a focus on vaccine production in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, African governments and policymakers must be committed to invest both the political and financial capital in vaccine production and distribution.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 10 million individuals worldwide. It is characterized by motor and sensory deficits. Research studies have increasingly demonstrated a correlation between Parkinson's disease and alternations in the composition of the gut microbiota in affected patients. Also, the significant role of prebiotics and probiotics in gastrointestinal and neurological conditions is imperative to understand their relation to Parkinson's disease.Method: To explore the scientific interaction of the gut‐microbiota‐brain axis and its association with Parkinson's disease, a comprehensive narrative review of the relevant literature was conducted. Articles were retrieved systematically from reputable sources, including PubMed, Science Direct, World Health Organization (WHO), and Advanced Google Scholar. Key search terms included are “Parkinson's Disease”, “Gut Microbiome”, “Braak's Theory”, “Neurological Disorders”, and “Gut‐brain axis”. Articles included in our review are published in English and they provide detailed information on the relationship between Parkinson's disease and gut microbiotaResults: This review highlights the impact of gut microbiota composition and associated factors on the progression of Parkinson's disease. Evidence‐based studies highlighting the existing evidence of the relationship between Parkinson's disease and alteration in gut microbiota are discussed. Consequently, the potential mechanisms by which the gut microbiota may affect the composition of the gut microbiota were revealed, with a particular emphasis on the role of the gut‐brain axis in this interplay.Conclusion: Understanding the complex interplay between gut microbiota and Parkinson's disease is a potential implication for the development of novel therapeutics against Parkinson's disease. Following the existing relationship demonstrated by different evidence‐based studies on Parkinson's disease and gut microbiota, our review concludes by providing recommendations and suggestions for future research studies with a particular emphasis on the impact of the microbiota‐brain axis on Parkinson's disease.

Arboviruses are most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, where arthropods are widespread. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that the mortality burden of arbovirus diseases, such as yellow fever in Africa, was 84,000–170,000 severe cases and 29,000–60,000 deaths in 2013. These epidemics emphasize the urgent need for integrated control and prevention of arboviral diseases. Challenges in managing and controlling arboviral diseases in Africa are mainly attributed to poor insect vector control, insecticide resistance, and poor sanitation and solid waste management. The removal or reduction of mosquito populations amongst susceptible individuals is identified as the most effective measure to control many vector-borne diseases. Current public health needs call for efficient vector control programs and maintenance of adequate surveillance systems through the availability of trained personnel and rapid diagnostic facilities, providing an interdisciplinary response to control and mitigate the threats of emerging and re-emerging arboviruses. Furthermore, research priorities should focus on understanding the factors responsible for adaptation to other vectors, determinants of infection and transmission, and the development of high efficiency antiviral molecules or candidate vaccines. Here, we explore and review our current understanding of arboviruses of public health importance in Africa, with a focus on emerging arboviruses, their arthropod vectors, and the epidemiology of major arboviruses. Finally, we appraise the role of planetary health in addressing the threat of arboviruses and identify other priority areas of research for effective control.

The ever-increasing global health impact of SARS-CoV-2—the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—coupled with its socio-economic burden, has not only revealed the vulnerability of humanity to zoonotic pathogens of pandemic potential but also serves as a wake-up call for global health communities to rethink sustainable approaches towards preventing future pandemics. However, since the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) convened experts have declared that future pandemics are likely to be zoonotic in origin, it is imperative that we understand the key drivers of zoonosis such as biodiversity loss, climate change, wildlife consumption, and population mobility, as well as the scientific evidence underpinning them. In this article, we underscore the correlations of these drivers with the emergence and re-emergence of zoonosis. Consequently, we highlighted the need for multidisciplinary collaboration under the planetary health approach between researchers across the fields of environmental and human health to fill the knowledge and research gaps on key drivers of zoonosis. This is to prevent or limit future pandemics by protecting the natural systems of the Earth and its resources and safeguarding human and animal health.

The rise of globalization and industrialization has driven the demand for rare earth metals (REMs). These metals are widely used in various sectors of the global economy with various applications in medicine, renewable energy, electronics, agriculture, and the military. REMs are likely to remain an important part of our global future, and, as production increases, areas contaminated by REMs are expected to expand over the coming decades. Thus, triggering significant adverse environmental, animal, and human health impacts. Despite increased attention on REMs outside China in recent years, there are limited studies exploring REM production, deposits, and associated health impacts in the African context. Proper mine management, adequate safety protocols, sustainable processing methods, and waste handling systems have been identified and proposed globally; however, the nature and scale of implementing these management protocols on the African continent have been less clear. Therefore, planetary health-centered solutions are urgently needed to be undertaken by researchers, policy makers, and non-governmental actors in Africa and across the globe. This is with the overarching aim of ensuring eco-friendly alternatives and public health consciousness on REM exploitations and hazards for future generations to come.

Antimicrobials are compounds that impede the activities of bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. Continuous antimicrobial overuse, misuse, and improper use for human, animal, and agricultural purposes are raising concerns about antibiotic residue pollution in the environment, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Because antimicrobial-resistant diseases are linked to human–-microbial ecosystems, environmental pollution from antibiotic residue and ARGs alters the makeup and diversity of human gut microbiota, putting resistance under selection pressure. This perspective proposes that antibiotic-induced microbiome depletion is linked to environmental quality and has repercussions for human health via the gut microbiome’s sensitive ecosystem. This has stimulated new global efforts and multidisciplinary, integrative approaches to addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) awareness in communities. Several academic papers published in recent years have shown that medicinal plant extracts are effective against diseases on WHO’s pathogen priority lists (PPL), such as the ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species). Traditional medicine, with its knowledge of medicinal plants, promises to be a valuable source of next-generation powerful antimicrobials. Examples include the recent discovery of Artemisinin, a highly active antimalarial drug derived from Artemisia annua, and the discovery of Taxol, an active chemotherapeutic drug derived from the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia. The connections between small and large ecosystems’ vitality, biodiversity protection, and human health have been acknowledged by Planetary Health principles. To address these intertwined concerns, a Planetary Health and Traditional Medicine approach can be adopted, and antimicrobial resistance can be addressed by expanding the screening of medicinal plants for bioactive compounds.