Medical Journal of Zambia John S Kachimba African

Medical Journal of Zambia John S Kachimba African Journal Partnership Project Annual Review, and Planning Meeting 18 -19 May 2010 Atlanta, GA, USA

Presentation Overview The MJZ in the Past Ø Impact Ø Turbulence Periods of MJZ l Rejuvenated MJZ Ø Journal Vision, Mandate and Scope Ø Current activities to Rejuvenate the Journal l

Presentation Overview (Continued) l l l l Structural Features Review of Performance Peer Reviewers Editorial content, Features and Services Role of Medical Librarians Outreach activities International Partner

Historical Perspectives Founded in the late 60 s but was in existence in the pre-independence period under the Northern Rhodesia colonial medical hierarchy l MJZ has had a clear scientific, clinical and academic mandate as stated above. l

MJZ’s Impact factor: Past glory I l Impact with respect to its publication scope l Impact with respect to its readership and circulation l Impact with respect to caliber of its authors

MJZ’s Impact factor: Past glory II l l Tsirkin RS, Thomas J. A modification of anti-streptolysin-Otest. Med J Zambia. 1975 Aug-Sep; 9(4): 101 -2. Bahl MR. Safety of meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine serogroup "A" (Pilot Study). Med J Zambia. 1975 Dec-1976 Jan; 9(6): 166. Rickman LR. Variation in the sensitivity to normal human serum of clone-derived antigenic variants of Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) brucei complex trypanosomes. Med J Zambia. 1977 Apr-May; 11(2): 41 -2 Loefler IJ. Teaching and training for surgical practice in Zambia and the neighbouring countries. J R Coll Surg Edinb. 1971 Jul; 16(4): 219 -25.

Turbulence Periods of the MJZ l l The formative years (1964 -1978)-Years of relative glory Turbulent period(1978 -1988)-Years of sharp turbulence for the Journal (the UDI, Declining copper prices/ weak national economy, etc) Dark period(1989 -2000)-Years of near Crash of the Journal with lost glory (Erratic publications and poor quality Vs weak ZMA status) Period of hope for the journal (2006 -2009)Rejuvenation of MJZ

Journal Vision, Mission Mandate and Scope

Journal Vision The Medical Journal of Zambia (MJZ) will be a premier African medical journal indexed in Medline, Pubmed and African Journals on Line (AJOL) by 2011

Journal Core Values l Growth and recognition l Best Practices l Integrity l Internationalization l Excellence

Journal Mandate l l l The Medical Journal of Zambia is a publication by the Zambia Medical Association (ZMA). MJZ is the dissemination forum for medical and allied research as well as clinical opinion and practice. Source of medical information for evidence-based patient Care and Public Health for its readership. MJZ aims at providing medical researchers, biomedical scientists, clinicians and allied health worker professionals with a forum to enhance their publication skills. Source of local continuing education to almost all health care professionals in Zambia.

MJZ VISION 2011 GOALS l l l Goal 1. Enhance and improve its governance and policy procedures Goal 2. Develop an action plan to strengthen financial solvency, while supporting future growth. Goal 3. Expand its subscriber, reader, author, editorial and advertiser bases Goal 4. Enhance access to MJZ via multiple media resources Goal 5. Develop strategic partnerships with stakeholders to develop a community of authors, reviewers and editors.

Journal Scope l l l Original research articles Reviews Case reports Consensus medical opinions (clinical practice, Public health and even health policy) Health related news. Advertisement

Current Journal Rejuvenation Activities l Ø Ø Ø Efforts to improve Journal publication quality, consistence and sustainability Strengthening of peer-review system Training of the Editorial staff Investment in the Journal production costs Enhancement of authorship for the journal Efforts to enhance Journal visibility and Readership Targeted circulation groups Establishing online access to the journal Partnerships (Linkages with ‘stronger’ Journals, industry, etc)

Editors l l Ø Ø Ø Editor Associate Editors: James Chipeta (Paediatrics) James Munthali (Surgery) Sekelani Banda (Basic Sciences) Paul Kelly (Internal Medicine) Bellington Vwalika (O&G) Christine Kanyembo (Allied Sciences/Online Edition)

Production Process l l l Manuscripts received- reviewed for suitability Suitable scripts sent to two reviewers Double blind review process Based on the reviewers comments- decision is made: accept, reject, amend Accepted scripts are copy-edited Proofs sent to corresponding author

Frequency, Dissemination, Circulation l Quarterly: Continues to run two months behind schedule l Dissemination: Postal delivery incountry l Circulated to all government health facilities, university staff and library

Participation in AJOL Currently on the AJOL group of journals: Great exposure and enquiries and submissions from South & West Africa l Technical challenges have affected maintenance of site l Communication with authors through this site remains difficult l

Sustainability Plans l Formal agreement with the Association to receive 5% of subscription contributions l In discussions with Vanderbilt Global Health Division on a formal partnership to assist with submissions and printing costs

Accomplishments of 2009 Strengthened the review process: Increased participation & larger database of reviewers l Redefined the roles of the Associate Editors and Editorial Board l Formal approaches to principal research units in Zambia l

Accomplishments of 2009 l Development of reviewers pool l Enhanced visibility via Journal website and AJOL l Established Editorial Office and improved its ICT capability

2006 -2009 Trend 2006: 6 original articles, 1 review article l 2007: 35 original articles, 1 review articles, 4 case reports l 2008: 42 original articles, 2 review articles, 4 case reports l 2009: 28 original articles, 4 review articles, 3 case reports l

Peer Reviewers 2009 l On list for 2009: 47 l 7 International reviewers (14. 9%) l 29 Peer-reviewers utilized in 2009

Submission Times l Submission to first action: 2 Days l Submission to acceptance: 30 Days l Submission to publication: 90 Days

Improvements Editorials: Invited editorialists (e. g. Dutch editorialist on Malaria treatment, CDC editorialist on MDR TB upsurge) l Editorials: Widely referenced l Greater involvement in issue assembly l Increase in number of original work presented and improved copy-editing l

Medical Librarian involvement l Represented at Associate Editor level l Helping with Indexing push l Presenting responsible for maintaining journal website l Had run database search workshops in 2008, none in 2009

Outreach Activities l l Authors: Courted authors one-on-one Authors: Writers’ workshop Readers: Direct delivery of journal to all practicizing physicians and formal; visits to research institutes to discuss publishing in the journal Local news media: Not utilized to date

International Partner l Exchange visits l Writers’ workshop l Unrealized potential awaits l 2010 Activity presently being arranged: August 2010

Challenges l Acquiring quality manuscripts l Obtaining Medline indexing l Earning a respectable status among academics in Zambia and the region l Acquiring financial sustainability

MJZ/AJPP Writers’ Workshop April 12 - 14 th 2010

Professor Chifumbe Chintu FRCP(C), FRCP

THANK YOU