Keyword: Public Health

ABSTRACT: Parasitic diseases continue to represent a significant public health challenge, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, where they disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries. Despite significant advancements in global collaborations, diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis, and leishmaniasis continue to present substantial challenges. This study evaluates the role of international collaborations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Fund, alongside bilateral and multilateral initiatives, including the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) in managing, preventing, and eliminating parasitic diseases, highlighting the successes, challenges, and potential areas for improvement within these partnerships. Critical challenges to effective collaborations, such as political instability, economic disparities, cultural barriers, and resource inequities were identified. Additionally discussed are the necessity of developing local skills, promoting innovative financing methods for projects, and ensuring their sustainability. Moreover, the necessity of a unified global health governance framework and sustained commitments to ensure that multinational collaborations yield enduring impacts were emphasized. However, policy recommendations such as prioritizing equity, and addressing the root causes of parasite infections aimed at enhancing international cooperation should be embraced in order to achieve sustainable health improvements. The findings suggest that ongoing global cooperation, combined with improvements in technology, funding, and resource allocation, is crucial for the total elimination of parasitic diseases and the advancement of health equity worldwide.

ABSTRACT: Microbial biofilms represent a growing yet often overlooked public health concern, particularly in resource-limited settings where they exacerbate the burden of persistent infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Nigeria, fragile healthcare infrastructure, poor funding, and a continuous loss of skilled medical professionals compound the difficulty of managing biofilm-associated infections. These microbial communities, embedded in self-produced extracellular matrices, exhibit remarkable resistance to antimicrobials and host immune defenses, leading to chronic and recurrent infections that further strain an already overstretched health system. This review synthesizes evidence published between 2010 and 2025 to examine the burden, challenges, and opportunities surrounding biofilm control in Nigeria. Literature was systematically retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, complemented by reports from WHO and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control. Findings indicate that biofilms not only complicate clinical treatment outcomes but also persist in environmental reservoirs, particularly water systems, serving as hidden amplifiers of resistance and infection transmission. To address these challenges, the review explores low-cost and context-appropriate strategies such as harnessing Nigeria’s biodiversity for the discovery of plant-derived antibiofilm compounds, implementing decentralized engineering solutions for water treatment, and promoting community-based infection prevention initiatives. It further emphasizes the importance of local innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and policy support within a One Health framework that integrates human, animal, and environmental health. By spotlighting the Nigerian experience, this review calls for urgent investment and global attention to biofilm-related infections in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).