Publication Ethics

African Journal of Health and Medical Sciences (AFJHMS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior in all aspects of the publication process. The journal follows the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects all parties involved—authors, reviewers, and editors—to adhere to these principles.

  1. Authors' Responsibilities

Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is original and free from plagiarism. Proper citations and acknowledgments must be provided for any work or concepts borrowed from other sources.

Authorship Criteria: All individuals who have made a significant contribution to the research should be listed as authors. Conversely, individuals who have not contributed should not be included as authors. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.

Data Integrity: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the data presented in their manuscripts. Any manipulation of research data to produce false results is considered unethical and is strictly prohibited.

Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of their research. Financial or personal relationships that could affect the work must be transparently reported.

Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

  1. Reviewers' Responsibilities

Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat the manuscripts they review as confidential documents. They must not disclose or discuss the content of the manuscript with anyone outside the editorial process.

Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively and constructively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any statement that an observation, derivation, or argument has been previously reported should be accompanied by the relevant citation.

Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

  1. Editors' Responsibilities

Publication Decisions: Editors are responsible for deciding which of the articles submitted to the journal should be published. The decision to publish should be based on the paper’s importance, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope.

Fair Play: The editor must evaluate manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

Confidentiality: The editor and any editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own research without the express written consent of the author.

  1. Handling Misconduct

AFJHMS takes allegations of misconduct seriously. In cases of suspected misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or falsification, the journal will follow COPE’s guidelines for dealing with these issues. The journal reserves the right to retract or correct articles when misconduct is discovered post-publication.

  1. Corrections and Retractions

If errors or misconduct are found in published articles after publication, AFJHMS will take appropriate steps to address the issue. This may include publishing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern, depending on the severity of the issue. Authors are encouraged to notify the editor promptly if they discover significant errors in their published work.

  1. Appeals and Complaints

AFJHMS provides an avenue for authors to appeal editorial decisions or raise complaints about the editorial process. Appeals must be submitted in writing and will be reviewed by the editorial board. Complaints related to ethical issues or procedural concerns will be addressed according to the journal’s ethical guidelines and in consultation with COPE where necessary.

  1. Ethical Oversight

The journal is committed to upholding ethical standards across all its activities. This includes ensuring the welfare of human and animal subjects in research. Authors must provide statements on the ethical treatment of research subjects, including approval from relevant ethics committees where applicable.

Author Responsibilities

- Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work is original and properly cited. They must fully disclose any previously published work that may overlap with their submission to AFJHMS.

- Authors are also responsible for obtaining permission to use any third-party material included in their work, and they must properly attribute this material according to the guidelines provided by AFJHMS.

Appeals

Authors who believe that their work has been incorrectly flagged for plagiarism may appeal the decision by providing a detailed explanation and supporting evidence to the editorial board. The board will review the appeal and make a final decision.

Preventive Measures

AFJHMS encourages authors to familiarize themselves with the ethical standards of publication and the correct use of citations. The journal may provide resources and guidance to help authors avoid unintentional plagiarism.

Education and Awareness

AFJHMS is dedicated to educating authors, reviewers, and editors about the importance of maintaining academic integrity and the proper attribution of sources. The journal will regularly update its guidelines and resources to reflect best practices in avoiding plagiarism.