Calabar Journal of Health Sciences on the move

It is 5 years since the Calabar Journal of Health Sciences stood on the global stage, to be counted among scholarly publications. The need to provide a publishing platform that caters to the interests of researchers in the developing world, especially the African sub-regional space, was the motivation for the establishment of the journal. It is broad-based in scope, covering the areas of Basic Medical Sciences, Medicine and Dentistry, Community Medicine and Public Health, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing Sciences, Radiation Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Environmental/Occupational Health. The core mandate of the journal is to help bridge the existing gap between the developed and developing parts of the world, concerning the availability of appropriate platforms for the publication of research findings in the areas of medicine and allied medical sciences outlined above.

Africa and other parts of the developing world continue to present from their various regions, unflattering statistics for endemic and even emerging diseases. At the same time, journals in the developed world remain “undersubscribed by research reports” from the developing parts, further underscoring the prevailing paradigm and the obvious need to fill the gap. Expounding this philosophy, the founding Editor-in-chief of the Calabar Journal of Health Sciences, Professor S J Utsalo, in his Editorial for the maiden issue envisioned the journal as; “poised for a global scientific publication outreach.” In keeping with that vision, we will continue to “publish findings of researchers wishing to use this medium to share their scientific research observations with the global community.” Researchers from Africa, the developing world and those from the developed world whose research interests have a direct bearing or impact on the health challenges of Africa and the developing world are welcome to partner with us. We invite them to use the Calabar Journal of Health Sciences, a robust and veritable platform, to release their research findings to the global research community.

To date, we have published 10 issues in five volumes featuring representative articles from most of the interest areas of the health sciences outlined above. We acknowledge the hard work and patronage of our contributing authors and reviewers in this regard. In that space of time also, the journal has undergone some organizational and management changes, achieving significant strides in the process. Being the official journal of the College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Nigeria, the relationship with college management is organic, thereby providing the necessary leverage and impetus for growth. The mandate to Scientific Scholar as publishers of the journal fosters continual growth. The journal is now abstracted and indexed in several high-profile databases, with great potential for further development. The new Editorial Board which I am privileged to chair comprises experienced and seasoned researchers and academics. Working assiduously with our retinue of experienced reviewers, we aim to significantly improve the turnaround time from article submission to acceptance or rejection, to enable authors plan their next moves in good time.

In conclusion, I wish on behalf of the Editorial Board, to acknowledge the vision and hard work of the sitting Provost at the founding of the Journal, Professor Maurice Asuquo as well as his successor in office, Professor Victor Ansa who further propelled the vision by taking some decisive and defining steps to take us to where we are. The growth and development of the journal could certainly not have been possible without their support and commitment. Also, we appreciate the continued support of the larger University administration under the able leadership of Professor Florence Obi as Vice-Chancellor. Together they have established a pattern for subsequent administrations to follow. Sustenance and continued growth of the journal are thus assured. Finally, we thank Scientific Scholar, our publishers for their professionalism, hard work, and commitment. Things can only get better for the journal.