Downstream Dynamics of Exposure to Family Planning Chemical Waste and Medicines: Environmental Transport, Ecotoxicological Impacts, and Policy Implications in African Contexts Abstract The expansion of family planning programs across Africa has substantially improved maternal health outcomes and reduced unintended pregnancies. However, the environmental and public health implications of increasing volumes of hormonal contraceptives, injectable formulations, intrauterine devices, and associated pharmaceutical waste remain underexamined. This paper analyzes the downstream environmental dynamics of family planning medicines, focusing on hormonal residues (e.g., ethinyl estradiol, levonorgestrel, medroxyprogesterone acetate), improper disposal pathways, wastewater transport, ecological persistence, endocrine disruption in aquatic systems, and chronic human exposure risks. Using a One Health and systems-based framework , the paper identifies regulatory gaps and proposes integrated...
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Acaricide Residues in Lake Victoria: Ecotoxicological Pathways, Fish Population Decline, and Food Security Implications in East Africa Abstract Acaricide use in livestock production within the Lake Victoria Basin has intensified in response to tick-borne diseases, leading to increasing environmental contamination. This paper provides a multi-scale analysis of acaricide residues in Lake Victoria , integrating environmental chemistry, aquatic toxicology, fisheries ecology, and food security frameworks. It demonstrates that acaricide contamination is a chronic, low-visibility driver of ecological degradation , contributing to fish population decline through direct toxicity, endocrine disruption, and food web destabilization. The study further highlights synergistic interactions with other pollutants and proposes a comprehensive One Health–based policy response . 1. Introduction: From Tick Control to Ecosystem Risk Livestock health in East Africa depends heavily on acaricides...
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Declining Biodiversity and Declining Human Health in Africa: Systems Linkages, Mechanisms, and Policy Imperatives Abstract Biodiversity loss in Africa has reached critical thresholds, with cascading effects on ecosystem stability, food systems, disease dynamics, and chemical exposure pathways. This paper advances a systems-based and mechanistic understanding of how biodiversity decline translates into deteriorating human health outcomes. It integrates ecological science, toxicology, epidemiology, and governance analysis within a One Health–Planetary Health framework . Particular attention is given to chemical intensification, aquatic ecosystems (e.g., Lake Victoria), and emerging disease risks . The paper argues that biodiversity loss is both a driver and amplifier of public health crises and calls for integrated, enforceable, and locally grounded policy responses. 1. Introduction: Reframing Biodiversity as Public Health Infrastructure Biodiversity is not merely environmen...