Apologies for crossposting

Interesting, and also of concern that African Index Medicus production has
been suspended. Just in case there's anyone out there who wants to add to
the campaign!

Fiona

-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 20 October 2002 14:39
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [HIF-net at WHO] Fwd: Forum for African Medical Editors


[Forwarded from AHILA-net - Association for Health Information and Libraries
in Africa]

Dear colleagues,

A three-day Consultative Meeting and Workshop for strengthening African
medical journals has just come to a close in WHO/HQ sponsored by TDR (the
Special Programme for research and training in tropical diseases).

Some 15 African medical journal editors (anglophone, francophone and one
lusophone) were present as well representatives and editors from
international bodies such as the World Association of Medical Editors
(WAME), the Council of Science Editors, INASP, BMJ, the Fogarty
International Center, BioMedCentral etc.  Librarians and database producers
were represented by Sheldon Kotzin, the Executive Editor of MEDLINE, Regina
Castro from BIREME, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Najeeb Al Shorbaji, WHO/EMRO
librarian, Nancy Kamau (new AHILA treasurer) librarian of KEMRI, Nairobi
etc. WHO AFRO was represented by Dr Morfaw, Chief of Publications and
Languages Services.

Presentations and discussions focussed on the current trends and challenges
in medical journal publishing, especially in developing
countries, the place of African health research published in international
journals, the visibility (or lack) of African medical journals, the role of
the editors, reviewers, the problems of funding, production, marketing,
publishing on the Internet etc.

From a librarian's point of view there were excellent papers about MEDLINE
and the overwhelming role it plays in improving visibility to journals which
it and other big international databases index.  I made a brief presentation
on the African Index Medicus outlining its role as complementing MEDLINE and
its specific functions to ensure that African research findings are known
within the continent as the health and diseases patterns and problems in one
African country are more relevant to a
neighbouring country than to the USA or Europe; that its role is to
encourage the South-North and South-South flow of information etc. People
were unhappy to know of its state of suspended publication and
recommendations were made by this forum, as well as the NLM and other
international bodies present to support its resuscitation.  It was really
heartening to hear from the international and African medical editors and
users how they saw the importance of the African Index Medicus.  Hopefully
there will be a concentrated effort now to get it restarted.

FAME [ther new Forum for African Medical Editors] has already decided on the
place of its Secretariat (Nairobi), its permanent secretary and members of
its steering committee etc whose first meeting is already planned for
February 2003. I am sure that  AHILA wishes them well and looks forward to
collaborating with them to improve the dissemination of health information
in Africa.

best wishes
Irene Bertrand

PS there will be further "official" messages coming out of this meeting -
this is just my personal impression.

[HIF-net at WHO profile: Irene Bertrand is Technical Cooperation Librarian
at the WHO Library, Geneva. <[log in to unmask]>]
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