African Journal of Reproductive Health Women's Health and Action Research Centre ISSN: 1118-4841 Vol. 6, Num. 1, 2002, pp. 11-12

African Journal of Reproductive Health, Vol. 6, No. 1, August, 2002 pp. 11-12

African Journal of Reproductive Health - Forging a New Path of Development

Friday Okonofua

*Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Dean, School of Medicine, University fo Benin, Nigeria

Code Number: rh02003

When the African Journal of Reproductive Health (AJRH) was established in 1997 (exactly five years ago), we promised to provide a forum for the voice of Africans to be heard on issues relating to reproductive health, population and development. This was particularly necessary because hitherto all that was known about Africa's reproductive health were ideas generated predominantly from western countries, which were not necessarily reflective of those in Africa. Additionally, we reasoned that an “indigenous publication” on reproductive health would remove the veil of secrecy that previously surrounded the subject in Africa, and permit an in depth exposition of the socio cultural factors that influence reproductive health in the continent.

At the time of the inauguration of the journal, we sought collaboration with Dr Rachel Snow, then based at the Harvard School of Public Health, essentially to learn the fundamental elements of publishing a high quality journal, and secondly to ensure that the journal meets the high standards that would justify it as a truly international journal. Later, she moved to the Department of Public Health at the Heidelberg University in Germany and continued to work with the journal. We printed the first three editions from Boston in order to provide a template on which future editions of the journal would be based. Subsequently, the printing has been done in Nigeria with considerable success.

From the onset, Dr Rachel Snow has been a dependable co editor of the journal. She worked hard to establish the principles on which the journal was founded. As the international co editor of the journal, Dr Snow was instrumental to providing international visibility and recognition for the journal and to linking us with credible reviewers, authors and a good reading audience. When funding for the international office of the journal ended two years after its establishment, Dr Snow maintained the editorial office in Heidelberg, Germany, with her own research funds. Her unwavering support has been critical to many of the successes the journal has recorded, for which the whole of Africa is eternally grateful.

Now that Dr Snow has “stepped aside” as a co editor, AJRH has moved into the final phase of its development — that of complete editing and production from Africa. Journals from Africa have often been criticised for not being sustainable and lacking in continuity and timeliness, for being poorly edited and for not having wide coverage. From the onset, the founders of AJRH were aware of these criticisms, hence the choice of a systematic and progressive approach to its development. Five years after concentrated support and advice from a western colleague, we are confident that the future of the journal is as bright as a rose.

Clearly, AJRH will maintain its links and relationships with the western world. We are happy that Dr Rachel Snow will continue to function as a member of the international advisory board of the journal. In addition, her role as our main international mentor is gradually being taken over by the International Agency for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP). INASP recently sponsored our managing editor, James Falaiye, to undertake a study tour of scientific journals and publishing houses in the UK and is currently working hard to create a formal working relationship between AJRH and the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG). In addition, we are also working on publishing the journal electronically through technical, and hopefully financial, support from INASP.

We are of course grateful to the Ford Foundation who offered the initial funding support that enabled us to establish the journal and has continued to provide unbroken financial support to the journal till this day. We thank Dr Rachel Snow for her great contributions to the growth of AJRH, and as she leaves the main boardroom of the journal, we wish her every success in her future work.

Copyright 2002 - Women's Health and Action Research Centre