African Health Sciences: The story of a young journal from Uganda

1. African Health Sciences: The story of a young journal from Uganda Report submitted to African Journal project meeting, Council for Science Editors, 1-7 May 2009 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA James K Tumwine, MD, PhD Editor in Chief, African Health Sciences Makerere University, College of Health Scienes Kampala Uganda: jtumwine@imul.com; kabaleimc@gmail.com

2. Many thanks • African Journals project • For support and sponsorship • Colleagues on the project • Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Ghana, Mali, Uganda • Our “twin” partners • Other supporters – ScholarOne, etc

3. Menu Introduction The story End

4. African Health Sciences: structure • EIC and 1editor • Three editorial staff • 1 paid • 2 voluntary • Editorial board (11 members.)

5. Many are involved in teaching, research, and patient care

6. With background of poverty Increases burden on families communities health service Where HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infections

7. Manuscript submission and review • From January 2008, manuscript submission and the review process are online – Manuscript Central supported by ScholarOne • All manuscripts are reviewed by at least two reviewers; • one from Uganda and one from outside Uganda

8. Frequency of publication, dissemination, and print edition circulation • AHS is a quarterly publication • March, June, September and December

9. Open access • Available both in print and electronic forms • Print copies by MERA through out Africa. • 12500 copies per issue free of charge • Locally printed copies (500)

10. Online • Indexed on Medline/PubMed • Archived in PubMed Central • African Journal’s Online • BIOLINE and HINARI (free)

11. Some sites where you can access African Health Sciences • www.bioline.org/ahs • www.mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mums.ahs • www.ajol.info • HINARI • PUBMED • PUBMED CENTRAL

12. Information on usage • Print copy circulation 12500+500 = 13000 per issue • Online access

13. African HealthSciences hits per month on Bioline, Jan 2006 – March 2009 • . Y09 2006 2007 2008

14. African Health Sciences requests for abstracts and full articles per month on Bioline, Jan 2006 – March 2009

15. African HealthSciences hits per month and reason on Bioline, Jan 2006 – March 2009

16. Young writer’s workshop participants reviewing manuscripts • .

17. African Health Sciences manuscripts: receipt and acceptance 2006-2008

18. Overall business and financial structure • Tenuous • ? Charge authors • Raising funds (local and abroad)

19. Writers workshops are extremely popular with our young scientists • .

20. Our aim is not to become The Lancet, NEJM, JAMA EHPS Annals or BMJ

21. No • We have clear priorities

22. Together with our partners To achieve a common goal To nurture this partnership

23. . as only <5% of Ugandans have electricity in their homes You see, this pot is used to keep lopinavir/ritonavir (kaletra) cool

24. To keep COOL effective medicines vs infections such as HIV, critical for the survival of our people

25. Thinking outside the box has shaped and guided our strategy for making health information available to our scientists

26. Thank you • Asante sana!