Ethics Statement

Ethics and Malpractice Policy

Health Innovation Journal Africa (HIJ Africa) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity in academic publishing within the African and global research communities. This policy outlines the responsibilities and expectations of all parties involved in the submission, peer review, and publication process, including authors, editors, and reviewers.

Responsibilities of Authors

  • Originality and Citation: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original, appropriately cites all sources, and acknowledges the contributions of others. Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited and will be checked via anti-plagiarism software.
  • Data Integrity: Authors must not fabricate or falsify data. Findings should be presented accurately and transparently, without inappropriate manipulation.
  • Exclusive Submission: Manuscripts submitted to HIJ Africa must not be under consideration by any other journal at the same time. Simultaneous submissions are considered unethical.
  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest (financial, professional, or personal) at the time of submission to ensure transparency and maintain trust in the research process.

Duties of Editors

  • Objective Decision-Making: Editors will make publication decisions based solely on the manuscript’s academic merit, relevance to the African context and global health sciences, and quality, without discrimination of any kind.
  • Confidential Handling: All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents. Unpublished material contained in a submission must not be used in an editor’s own research without the explicit written consent of the authors.
  • Responsive Action: Editors will respond promptly and appropriately to ethical concerns or complaints related to submitted or published manuscripts, following due process and established COPE guidelines.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Constructive Feedback: Reviewers should provide objective, constructive, and respectful feedback aimed at improving the quality and clarity of the manuscript.
  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and must not be shared or used for personal advantage.
  • Conflict of Interest and Integrity: Reviewers must inform the editor of any potential conflicts of interest or ethical concerns, including suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, or other irregularities.
  • Timeliness: Reviewers are expected to complete their reviews within the agreed timeframe to support an efficient editorial and publication process.

Addressing Allegations of Misconduct

HIJ Africa takes all allegations of research or publication misconduct seriously. Any such allegations will be investigated thoroughly, fairly, and as quickly as possible, while maintaining confidentiality for all parties involved.

If misconduct is confirmed, HIJ Africa will take appropriate corrective actions, which may include, but are not limited to:

  • Retraction or correction of the published article.
  • Notification of the authors’ institution(s) or relevant funding bodies.
  • Restricting or banning future submissions from the author(s) involved.

This Ethics and Malpractice Policy is intended to safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record, promote transparent and honest collaboration, and uphold public trust in scientific research. HIJ Africa expects all authors, editors, and reviewers to adhere rigorously to these ethical standards.