No abstract

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.

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.

Increased anthropogenic activities including changes in land use and unrelenting ecosystem services related to animal husbandry, wildlife trade, and deforestation are driving the emergence of viral zoonosis. This is primarily due to human–animal interaction which is facilitating the spillover of viral zoonotic pathogens from animals (domestic and wildlife) to humans that could result in epidemics or pandemics. Scientific reports so far have revealed that viral epidemics and pandemics in recent years such as H1N1 Swine Influenza, H5N1 Avian Influenza, Ebola, Zika, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 were all zoonotic, and their emergence has been linked with spillover events arising from human–animal interaction. This increased interaction and the increased spillover event could facilitate future pandemic risk, and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, “IPBES”, has declared this “the era of pandemics”. Furthermore, since future pandemics would be triggered by anthropogenic activities, we have called this “anthropopandemicene”, i.e., an era of pandemics driven by anthropogenic activities. To minimize the risk of future pandemics, it is important to prioritize the prevention of viral spillover events. Here, we outline five priority areas for global health researchers and policymakers. These areas include improvement of biosecurity at livestock farms, imposing a moratorium or strictly banning wildlife trade that poses a public health risk, conservation of biodiversity by halting deforestation, investing in community-based research for infectious disease control, and strengthening community healthcare systems in precarious ecosystems and infectious diseases hotspots. Finally, we acknowledge the efforts of other renowned global and legally binding frameworks such as IHR, the Paris Agreement, and CITES with regard to addressing the public health risk of infectious diseases, and we provide recommendations for their improvement.

Community pharmacists are among the most easily accessible healthcare practitioners and are usually the first point of contact with the public or community. This is often due to their accessibility, credibility, and widespread within the public sector making them essential members of the healthcare team with significant contributions to the delivery of public health care. Community pharmacists, in addition to their known educational and awareness-raising roles, may play an essential role in risk assessment and screening of patients, detection of symptoms of probable malignancy, and cancer treatments. The pharmacy profession has been evolving from dispensing roles into more patient-oriented outcomes and pharmacists are now participating in more clinical interventions. This places community pharmacists in the best position to provide the necessary knowledge and healthcare to benefit populations at risk of cancer.  Active involvement of community pharmacists in the care and management of cancer will significantly contribute to screening and risk assessment, early detection, treatment and eradication of breast, cervical, lung, ovarian and other forms of cancer. As a result, the community pharmacy setting must the developed to maximize its full potential in cancer care.