Health system should be supported by health research to deliver quality, accountable, equitable, fairer, better health care to target population.1
Earlier; defenseless people like prisoners, soldiers, poor and mentally ill along with animals were subjected to medical research without taking consent. As time pass by, new emerging health problems, shifting of epidemiological trends in disease patterns, rapid increase in population, new and emerging health problems, increasing commercial interests of private health sector and shrinking resources all contribute in inequity to health care.2
Hence it is extremely important that research addresses priorities and focuses on the most important health issues and conditions. Research must serve as a driver for health system, policies and practice. For this to happen, the health research systems should be fully accountable for sake of transparency and also have to be capable of delivering the desired returns. We are fortune to take benefit from documented experiences from history. The main goal of medical research article is to share one’s valuable experience so as to contribute to the progress of science.3
Conducting a medical research and publishing it in a medical journal, is sharing an important knowledge and experience to the world. A physician from one part of the world may have significant load of certain disease and sharing management experience in that particular disease may help doctors of other part of the world treat such kind of patient. Furthermore, author may also have individual benefits, like higher positions in academic hierarchy.4
The Journal of the institution reflects the academics wealth of the institute. Earlier, only few used to grab opportunities for professional growth via publication, majority of them suffer to lack of publication culture in the institution resulting in fossilization of their professional caliber.5
In developing countries like ours, to do quality medical research is often difficult. Furthermore, getting the article published in medical journal is another challenge. Leading international medical journals underreport on health research priorities for developing countries because of improper material, methods quality. Many factors play role in the paucity of inclusion of research papers from developing countries. Lack of resources like funding, proper man power and less access to scientific literature in similar setting leading to poor research output, faulty manuscript preparation and language proficiency may be the common problems. Inadequate laboratory facilities and training may be the other cause. Hence, researchers in developing countries should be supported and encouraged to produce material of the quality by proper guidance and required trainings.
Open access journal is the window to the research world. It is one of the tools to increase publications. These journals facilitate the publication of local research output and may play defining role in helping researcher to improve their publication records, and make it accessible to other researchers. This type of open access journal is an important entity in national publishing that will hopefully gain broader prominence as awareness increases and the above efforts are implemented. To make our journal an index and of international stature is strenuous but with the help from our fraternity, we will surely reach the goal soon. Our journal will surely serve as a medium to access information, updated knowledge and a symbol of ideal journal in Nepal.
This journal is the result of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. We apologize for taking this extra long time to publish but as they say ‘good things come to those who wait’ we proudly present you our journal, our masterpiece. No one is to be blamed for the delay of this process. Working with teachers, selecting experts for review, suggesting authors, verifying manuscripts, editing and proof reading was an arduous job but was done meticulously. We run out of words to express our gratitude to the reviewers who reviewed and upgraded the journal’s contents. It is very hard to imagine this journal with their crucial help and guidance. We apologize for not being able to incorporate all the articles due to some academic standards and expectations.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Angel Magar, without whom this journal would be impossible. His valuable guidence help us shape the journal. We shall forever the indebted to him for his support. Dr. Bibek Rajbhandari is another individual we need to thank. His hard work and dedication can be seen in our journal. We are grateful for his help and support. We appreciate everything he has done selflessly and for the betterment of the journal.
We would like to acknowledge Dr. Krishna Rana (JNMA Assistant Editor) and JNMA Trainees (Asmita Neupane, Rakshya Pandey, Suzit Bhusal, Suraj Shrestha, Nabin Sundas, Prastuti Shrestha, Riyaz Shrestha, Prabha Bhandari, Nita Lohala, Samiksha Lamichhane, Sushmita Bhattarai, Laxman Aryal, Barsha Karki and Kajol Ghimire, Sushil Dahal, Shraddha Bhattarai) for the consistent support during the phase of publication.
REFERENCES
Inis C. The WHO Strategy on research for Health. France:WHO,2012.
Santosa A, Wall S,Fottrell E,Hogberg U, Byass P.The Deveopment and experience of epidemological transition theory over four decades: a systematic review. Glob Health Action.2014;7:10.
Mohmoud F, Mohamed F. A practical guide for health researchers. Eastern Mediteranean:WHO Regional Publications, 2004.
Clauset A, Arbesmans, Larremore D. Systematic inequtiy and hierarcy i faculty hiring networks. Sci.Adv.2015;1:e 1400005.
Koul B, Kanwar A (ed.). Toward a Culture of Quality. Vancouver:Common Wealth of Learning, 2006.
Open access policy at Reviews in Health Care