Marking a Milestone in African Research Dissemination
The Journal of Public Health in Africa (JPHiA), a peer-reviewed open-access publication dedicated to advancing public health scholarship across the continent, has reached a significant milestone with the conclusion of its special collection titled 'Strengthening Scientific Publication Capacity of African Researchers.' Guest-edited by Prof. Peter Nyasulu from the University of the Witwatersrand's School of Public Health in Johannesburg, South Africa, this collection represents outputs from an intensive manuscript-writing training program conducted in December 2024 for 18 early-career researchers. This initiative underscores the journal's commitment to bolstering the research dissemination skills of African scholars, addressing longstanding barriers in global scientific publishing.
Published by AOSIS in Cape Town, South Africa, JPHiA provides a vital platform for context-specific public health research. The special collection, featured prominently in Volume 16, Number 4 (2025), compiles high-quality studies from diverse African contexts, culminating in the final article released on December 18, 2025.
Spotlight on Prof. Peter Nyasulu's Leadership
Prof. Peter Nyasulu, PhD, MScMed, MACE, serves as a pivotal figure in this endeavor. Affiliated with the Department of Global Health at Wits University, he brings extensive expertise in epidemiology, infectious diseases, and public health systems strengthening. His Google Scholar profile highlights collaborations across South Africa and beyond, with research focusing on antimicrobial resistance, HIV/TB co-infection, and health policy evaluation. As guest editor, Nyasulu guided participants through rigorous training, from study design to peer-reviewed publication, fostering a new generation of prolific African authors.
This aligns with broader efforts at South African universities like Wits, where the School of Public Health emphasizes capacity building. For aspiring researchers, such mentorship is invaluable; explore opportunities in higher ed research jobs to contribute similarly.
The Genesis of the Special Collection
Initiated to counter the underrepresentation of African voices in global literature, the collection emerged from a targeted workshop. Early-career researchers, selected from across Africa, honed skills in manuscript preparation, ethical considerations, and impactful writing. The result: a curated set of articles addressing pressing public health issues, from infectious diseases to chronic conditions.
This model mirrors successful interventions elsewhere, such as Africa CDC's support for JPHiA, which saw metrics surge with increased African authorship. In 2025, the journal reported substantial growth in citations and downloads, attributing part to such focused collections.
Key Articles Shaping the Narrative
The collection features diverse studies, showcasing the breadth of African public health research:
- Impact of dental caries on the quality of life of children with sickle cell anaemia in Nigeria: This concluding piece by Jacob B. Afolabi and colleagues at Obafemi Awolowo University examined 27 children aged 8-16. Pre-treatment Child-Oral Impact on Daily Performance (Child-OIDP) scores averaged 1.63, dropping to 0.37 post-treatment, with significant eating domain improvements (p=0.02). It highlights how oral health interventions enhance health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in vulnerable groups.
- Community health workers: A key to halting Africa's mpox outbreak, emphasizing grassroots responses.
- Burden and determinants of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) among prisoners in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review revealing high prevalence rates.
- Enhancing awareness and uptake of home-based care services, focusing on community integration.
- Epidemiology of human schistosomiasis in Gauteng Province, South Africa, providing local insights into neglected tropical diseases.
These works, all licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0, are freely accessible via JPHiA's archive.
Addressing Core Challenges in African Publishing
African researchers face systemic hurdles: limited funding, inadequate infrastructure, language barriers, and bias in international journals. Statistics reveal Africa's share of global publications hovers around 3%, despite comprising 17% of the world's population. For instance, in geosciences, Africa contributes just 3.9% of high-impact articles, with South Africa leading continentally.
In public health, the gap persists; during COVID-19, African output was only 3% of global SARS-CoV-2 publications. Predatory journals exacerbate issues, preying on capacity gaps. Special collections like JPHiA's offer rigorous, ethical alternatives, mentoring authors to international standards.
South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF) reports rising output, but early-career scholars need sustained support. Programs at universities like Wits bridge this, preparing researchers for academic career success.
South African Perspectives and Contributions
As host to the editor and publisher, South Africa plays a central role. Wits University's global health initiatives, under leaders like Nyasulu, align with national priorities like the Decade of Research Excellence. Gauteng-focused studies in the collection, such as schistosomiasis epidemiology, demonstrate local relevance.
AOSIS, based in Cape Town, exemplifies regional innovation in open-access publishing, hosting over 100 journals. This ecosystem supports South African higher education institutions in elevating African narratives. For professionals, platforms like AcademicJobs South Africa list opportunities in public health research.
Broader Implications for Continental Research
Beyond individual papers, the collection amplifies underrepresented topics: mpox response, MDR-TB in prisons, Ebola preparedness, depressive symptoms in adolescents, and digital oral health tools. Each defines key terms—e.g., Child-OIDP as a validated index measuring oral impacts on eating, speaking, etc.—and provides step-by-step methodologies for replicability.
Stakeholder views, from community health workers to policymakers, enrich analyses. Impacts include policy recommendations, like scaling home-based care, with statistics showing uptake increases post-intervention.
Photo by Arturo Añez on Unsplash
Future Outlook and Actionable Insights
With JPHiA's metrics booming—3209 Crossref citations, 915,577 downloads—the collection paves the way for more. Future trends: AI-assisted writing tools, collaborative networks, and funding via AU's Year of Education (2024 extended). For researchers: attend workshops, leverage open access, target regional journals first.
In South Africa, universities can expand training; rate experiences with professors via Rate My Professor. Job seekers, check university jobs and higher ed jobs for roles advancing this mission. Contact JPHiA for future collections: special-issues@aosis.co.za.
This concluding effort not only closes a chapter but inspires sustained growth in African scientific publishing.