Submissions

Login or Register to make a submission.

Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
  • Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
  • The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.

Author Guidelines

Submission Guidelines of African Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine (AJHSM)

  1. . Initial Submission
  • Manuscripts must be submitted online or via email.
  • Submissions must follow the ICMJE Uniform Requirements for biomedical journals.
  • For trial studies, protocols must comply with SPIRIT standards.
  • Required documents:
    • Main manuscript (Word file, excluding title page and author details).
    • Separate file with title, author names, qualifications, affiliations, and abstract.
    • Cover letter including corresponding author’s full address, relevance of the work, and declaration of originality.
  • The Managing Editor will contact all co-authors for confirmation.
  • Graphs and tables should be embedded within the text.
  • Submissions are acknowledged within 10 working days; contact the Editorial Office if not received.
  • Data underlying the study must be submitted upon request.
  1. Submission of Revised Manuscripts
  • Submit via email or online platform.
  • Required files:
    • Clean revised manuscript.
    • Manuscript with track changes.
    • Rebuttal letter addressing all reviewer/editor comments.
  1. Proofs for Correction
  • PDF proofs are sent to the corresponding author.
  • Authors must carefully proofread and return corrections within 48 hours.
  • Only minor corrections are allowed at this stage.
  • Late corrections cannot be incorporated after publication.
  1. General Format of Scientific Papers
  • Language: American English.
  • Formatting:
    • Double-spaced, A4 paper.
    • Margins: 1.5 cm (top/bottom/right), 2 cm (left).
    • Font: Times New Roman, size 12.
    • Each major section begins on a new page, bold uppercase headings.
    • Pages numbered consecutively.
  • Sections: Title Page, Abstract & Keywords, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, Acknowledgements, References.
  • Abbreviations: Minimize use; explain all in a dedicated section.
  1. Article Types
  • Original Articles: ≤ 8,000 words, ≤ 8 figures/tables.
  • Review Papers: ≤ 10,000 words; follow PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews/meta-analyses.
  • Short Communications: ≤ 3,500 words, ≤ 3 figures/tables.
  1. Components of Full-Length Research Articles
  • Title Page:
    • Full title (≤ 20 words), concise and searchable.
    • Running title (≤ 10 words).
    • Author names, affiliations, addresses, ORCID (if available).
    • Statement of contributions for co-authors.
  • Abstract:
    • Structured (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion).
    • ≤ 300 words, no references or abbreviations.
    • Include trial registration details if applicable.
    • 5–8 keywords.
  • Main Body:
    • Introduction: Context, gap, objectives/hypotheses.
    • Methods: Study design, participants, setting, procedures, ethical approval, funding.
    • Results: Clear findings, avoid redundancy between text and tables/figures.
    • Discussion: Summary, explanation, comparison, limitations, conclusion.
  • Acknowledgements: Brief, include funding sources.
  • References: Vancouver style; numbered consecutively; journal abbreviations per Index Medicus.
  1. Tables and Figures
  • Tables: Short titles, numbered (Table 1, Table 2…), captions and sources below.
  • Figures: Bold numerals and captions; high-quality formats (JPEG, TIFF, GIF, ≥ 300 dpi).
  • Use color only when essential.
  • Cite figures if taken from other sources.
  1. Copyright
  • Accepted manuscripts become the exclusive copyright of the publisher.
  1. Ethical Issues
  • Only original works are accepted.
  • Duplicate submission or plagiarism (including self-plagiarism) results in rejection and possible sanctions.
  • Use respectful, inclusive, and non-racist language.
  1. Conflict of Interest
  • Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation.
  • All conflicts of interest must be stated in the cover letter and in a dedicated section of the manuscript.
  • If no conflicts exist, authors must explicitly declare: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”in manuscript.
  • Editors and reviewers are also required to disclose potential conflicts to ensure transparency and fairness in the editorial process.
  1. Timeline from Submission to Publication

AJHSM is committed to a rapid and efficient editorial process, typically completed within six months.

Editorial Workflow

  1. Preliminary Assessment – 2 weeks (Editorial Board)
  2. Peer Review – 4–6 weeks (Reviewers)
    • Reviewers confirm availability within 3–5 days.
    • Alternative reviewers assigned if delays occur.
  3. Revision by Authors – 1–2 weeks (Authors)
  4. Verification & Reincorporation – 2 weeks (Board Members & Authors)
  5. Language Editing – 3–4 weeks (Language Editors)
  6. Technical & Layout Editing – 1–2 weeks (Technical Editors)

Final Steps

  • Final decision within 1 week of receiving revised manuscript.
  • Language/content editing: 2–3 weeks.
  • Technical/layout editing: 1–2 weeks.
  • Journal published annually, with potential to become bi‑annual as submissions grow.
  • Publication proceeds once 6–8 articles are ready.

Articles

Section default policy

Copyright Notice

Authors submitting manuscripts do so on the understanding that if their manuscripts are accepted for publication, copyright to the articles, including the right to reproduce in all forms and media, is the exclusive right of the publisher.

Privacy Statement

The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.