Abstract
JOURNAL SCOPEHealth Research in Africa (HRA) is an open-access, monthly, peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary medical journal published by Afrimvoe Medical Services, Yaoundé, Cameroon. HRA is partnered with Health Sciences and Disease, the official publication of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS) of the University of Yaoundé I.HRA's mission is to fill critical gaps in health data from Africa and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) worldwide. While our name reflects our historical roots and primary geographical focus on Africa, we welcome high-quality submissions from all regions, including Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, provided the research addresses health challenges and priorities relevant to LMICs. We believe that scientific knowledge is universal and that research conducted in one region can generate insights transferable to other resource-constrained settings.MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONSThe preferred method for submission is via our online platform. Please visit the HRA homepage at https://ams-hra.org/index.php/hra/index, create your account, and submit your manuscript. Alternatively, manuscripts can be sent by email to: nkooas@yahoo.com / chiefeditor@afrimvoe.net.Inquiries about manuscript status, preparation, and letters to the editor should be directed to:Prof. Samuel Nko'o AmveneEditor-in-Chief, Health Research in AfricaAfrimvoe Medical ServicesPO Box 17583, Yaoundé, CameroonEmail: nkooas@yahoo.com / chiefeditor@afrimvoe.netEDITORIAL POLICIESHRA's Publication Policy Committee follows the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for guidance on publication ethics. Our policies have been adapted from these bodies and tailored to meet the specific content, audiences, and aims of HRA.All research manuscripts undergo an initial screening by the Editor-in-Chief or a Section Editor to identify gross deficiencies. At this stage, manuscripts may be rejected without external review. Following this initial screening, articles are sent to one or two reviewers whose identities are concealed from the authors (single-anonymized review). Reviewers are guided by a structured checklist. The review summary is signed by the reviewer and is not published with the article.The peer review process may take several days to weeks to reach a final decision, which is the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief. The average duration from submission to publication is approximately six to eight weeks. Authors are kindly requested not to contact the editorial office less than six weeks after initial submission.