The Journal of Public Health in Africa (JPHIA), owned by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), has launched three new article categories to accelerate the sharing of public health evidence, policy insights and news from across the continent.
These new categories complement the journal’s existing article types, which include original research, reviews, opinions, implementation articles and case reports.
The new categories – ‘Rapid Communications’, ‘Health Policy’ and ‘Scientific News’ – will provide researchers, policymakers, public health practitioners and science journalists with additional platforms to share findings, perspectives and developments that can inform public health action in Africa.
The move follows a growing trend among leading scientific and medical journals to introduce dedicated formats for rapid reporting, policy analysis and science journalism, to ensure key public health information reaches decision-makers and practitioners more quickly.
“Timely evidence and effective communication are critical to ending outbreaks,” said Dr Mosoka Fallah, Head of the Science and Innovation Division at Africa CDC.
Rapid Communications are short, peer-reviewed reports on disease outbreaks, health emergencies and other significant public health events where prompt publication can support response efforts or raise awareness of emerging issues.
The new Health Policy category will feature articles on policy development, guidelines, frameworks, health systems strengthening, health financing and public health economics, helping promote evidence-informed decision-making.
The Scientific News section will cover developments in science, public health, policy and people across Africa. Often written by science journalists, these articles will highlight outbreaks, research breakthroughs, policy advances and other emerging issues shaping the continent’s public health landscape.
More details can be found in the journal’s author guidelines (https://apo-opa.co/4vEC9bA).
“With this scope expansion and other significant measures, JPHIA aims to further enhance its quality, visibility and impact,” said Dr Nebiyu Dereje, the journal’s Editor-in-Chief.
JPHIA is positioning itself not only as a publishing platform but also as a catalyst for strengthening Africa’s scientific publishing ecosystem. Through mentorship, training and editorial support, the journal aims to increase the number of African researchers publishing in peer-reviewed journals while improving the quality and visibility of African-led research.
Ongoing improvements by JPHIA include a 100% article processing charge waiver for unfunded submissions from low-income African countries, faster editorial and production timelines, and stronger promotion of published research through Africa CDC’s communication and social media platforms.
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