Editorial Policy

The African Journal of Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (AJDHAI) is a peer-reviewed and open-access journal dedicated to advancing research, innovation, and discourse on the application of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to improve health outcomes and strengthen health systems across Africa. It provides a platform for interdisciplinary scholarship that is contextually relevant to Africa's unique health challenges, infrastructural landscapes, and socio-cultural environments.

A) Ownership and Management

The journal is published under the auspices of the Pan African Health Informatics Association (HELINA). The Editor-in-Chief and the editorial team have full authority over the journal's academic content, with editorial independence guaranteed by HELINA. Decisions are based solely on scholarly merit and relevance to the journal's scope, free from commercial or political influence.

B) Editorial Board Structure and Roles

  • Editor-in-Chief: Appointed by HELINA, the editor-in-chief provides strategic leadership, oversees the entire editorial process, makes final decisions on manuscripts, and chairs the editorial board.
  • Associate Editors: A diverse panel of subject-matter experts who manage the peer review process for manuscripts within their specialty, make preliminary recommendations, and guide review standards.
  • International Advisory Board: Composed of distinguished scholars and practitioners from Africa and globally, providing strategic guidance on journal direction, policy, and promoting the journal within their networks.
  • Managing Editor: Handles the day-to-day administrative operations, correspondence, and ensures the smooth workflow of the manuscript management system.

C) Peer Review Process

AJDHAI employs a rigorous, fair, and transparent double-anonymized peer review process to ensure the publication of high-quality science.

  • Initial Screening: All submissions undergo an initial check by the editorial office for completeness, scope, and adherence to submission guidelines, followed by a screening by the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor for novelty, methodological soundness, and overall fit.
  • Reviewer Selection: For manuscripts passing screening, at least two independent experts in the field are invited for peer review. Reviewers are selected based on expertise, publication record, and lack of conflict of interest.
  • Double-Anonymized Review: Both the authors' and reviewers' identities are concealed from each other to minimize bias.
  • Decision Categories: Based on reviewer reports, decisions include: Accept, Minor Revisions, Major Revisions, or Reject. The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief.
  • Timeliness: The journal is committed to a timely review process, with initial decisions typically communicated within 8-10 weeks of submission.
  • Appeals: Authors may submit a formal, reasoned appeal against a rejection decision. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and, if necessary, by a separate Associate Editor not involved in the original decision.

D) Authorship and Contributorship

  • Authorship Criteria: All listed authors must have made substantial contributions to the conception/design of the work, data acquisition/analysis/interpretation, drafted or substantively revised the work, approved the final version, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
  • Contributorship Statement: For original research articles, a  Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) statement is required to detail the specific contributions of each author.
  • Corresponding Author Responsibilities: The corresponding author acts as the primary point of contact, ensures all authors agree to submission, and manages communication during the publication process.
  • Changes in Authorship: Any addition, deletion, or change in the order of authors after submission requires a compelling reason and written confirmation from all authors.

E) Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement 

AJDHAI is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Key policies include:

  • Originality and Plagiarism: All submissions must be original and not under consideration elsewhere. Text similarity will be checked using plagiarism detection software. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.
  • Data Integrity and Fabrication: Data must be accurately presented. Fabrication or falsification of data constitutes serious misconduct.
  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure: All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived as influencing the work. Declarations are published with the article.
  • Simultaneous Submission: Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is prohibited.
  • Post-Publication Corrections and Retractions: The journal will promptly publish corrections (erratum), clarifications (corrigendum), or retractions in line with COPE guidelines if significant errors or ethical breaches are identified post-publication.
  • Complaints and Misconduct: Allegations of research or publication misconduct will be investigated seriously and confidentially following COPE flowcharts, potentially involving institutional liaisons.

F) Open Access and Copyright Policy

  • Open Access Model: AJDHAI is a gold open-access journal. All published content is freely available immediately upon publication on the journal's website without subscription or paywall barriers.
  • Copyright and Licensing: Authors retain the copyright of their work. All articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This allows anyone to copy, redistribute, remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and source.
  • Article Processing Charges (APCs): To sustain open access publishing, the journal may levy an APC on accepted articles. Waivers or discounts will be available for authors from low-income countries or with demonstrable lack of funding, ensuring no qualified author is excluded for financial reasons.

G) Data Sharing and Reproducibility

  • Data Availability Statement: Authors of original research are strongly encouraged to make the underlying data publicly available in a suitable repository or within the manuscript. A data availability statement is required, explaining how and where data can be accessed.
  • Code Availability: For studies involving novel algorithms or software, authors are encouraged to share source code in a public repository (e.g., GitHub, GitLab) to promote reproducibility and reuse.
  • Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible registry (e.g., Pan African Clinical Trials Registry - PACTR) prior to participant enrollment, and the registration number must be provided.

H) Archiving and Preservation

To ensure permanent access, the journal's content will be archived in long-term digital preservation services such as CLOCKSS, Portico, or the African Journals Online (AJOL) platform, guaranteeing availability for the scholarly community in perpetuity.

I) Advertising Policy

AJDHAI does not accept commercial advertising on its website or within its published content. Any sponsored content or partnerships will be clearly marked as such and must align with the journal's academic mission.