Aims of the Journal
The Boitekanelo: Journal of Public Health in Africa aims to advance theoretical and empirical understanding of health systems, disease prevention, health promotion, and healthcare delivery across the African continent. The journal seeks to publish rigorous research that informs health policy, strengthens health systems, addresses health inequities, and improves population health outcomes in diverse African contexts. We are committed to decolonising public health knowledge production, amplifying African research leadership, and bridging the gap between academic inquiry and actionable health interventions that serve African communities.

Scope of the Journal
The scope of the Boitekanelo: Journal of Public Health in Africa includes original research, review articles, case studies, policy analyses, and implementation science on:
Infectious disease control and elimination (including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and emerging infectious diseases), Non-communicable diseases and the double burden of disease, Maternal, newborn, and child health, Health systems strengthening and universal health coverage, Primary healthcare and community health systems, Digital health and health technology innovation, Environmental health, climate change, and planetary health, Nutrition, food security, and agricultural health linkages, Mental health and psychosocial support in African contexts, Traditional medicine and integrative health approaches, Health workforce development and retention, Health financing and economic evaluation, Health governance, policy, and leadership, One Health approaches at the human-animal-environment interface, Health security, preparedness, and emergency response, Social determinants of health and health equity, Community participation and citizen engagement in health, Health research ethics and governance
Contributions are welcomed from public health, epidemiology, health economics, health policy, medicine, nursing, environmental science, anthropology, psychology, sociology, and related interdisciplinary fields.
Author Submission Guidelines
Boitekanelo: Journal of Public Health in Africa provides an avenue for scholars, researchers, health practitioners, policy analysts, ministry of health officials, non-governmental organizations, community health workers, and civil society to engage with the multifaceted dimensions of public health in Africa. Authors are expected to adhere to the following guidelines when preparing and submitting their manuscripts:

Preparing Your Manuscript

Title and Subtitle
Ensure the title is clear, descriptive, and incorporates key terms that accurately reflect the content of the manuscript. It should not be more than 25 words.

Authors and Their Affiliations
List all authors' full names and affiliations directly below the title. Authors are strongly encouraged to include their ORCID IDs to facilitate identification of their prior work. Authors should indicate a Corresponding Author to whom correspondence will be sent if the manuscript is accepted for publication.

Abstract
The Abstract provides a concise summary that clearly outlines the main objectives, findings, and conclusions of the study. The abstract should be between 150 and 200 words and formatted with 1.5 spacing.

Keywords
Include 4 to 6 keywords that succinctly capture the essence of the manuscript's subject matter. These keywords are essential for indexing purposes, so we recommend that they are specific to the article. Examples include health systems strengthening, malaria elimination, community health workers, universal health coverage, One Health, and health equity.

Main Text
Manuscripts should range between 6000 and 8000 words in length, inclusive of references, tables, and figures. Use Times New Roman font, size 12, with 1.5-line spacing throughout. Ensure all pages are numbered consecutively.
Our journal upholds strict standards against copyright infringement, plagiarism, and any other violations of ethical publication practices. Each submitted article undergoes thorough screening using plagiarism detection software, such as Turnitin, to ensure originality and adherence to ethical writing practices. Hence, all authors are advised to ensure that they have adhered to our plagiarism policy before submission.

Research Ethics
Manuscripts reporting research involving human participants must include a statement confirming that ethical approval was obtained from an appropriate institutional review board or ethics committee. The manuscript should specify the ethical standards followed (e.g., Declaration of Helsinki, CIOMS Guidelines) and confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants. For research involving vulnerable populations, additional safeguards and community engagement processes should be described.

Headings and Subheadings
Headings are used to organise content and indicate the hierarchy of sections. Organise the manuscript to enhance readability and logical flow.
•Level 1 Headings: Justified, bold, 14 pt. font size.
•Level 2 Headings: Justified, bold, 12 pt. font size.
•Level 3 Headings: Italicised, 12 pt. font size, left-aligned.
All headings should use title case (capitalise the first letter of each major word).

Prior Publication in Other Journals
This journal will not publish any article which has been previously published or is under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Funding
If the research received funding support, detail the funding sources in a dedicated section titled "Funding" placed before the acknowledgements. Follow the prescribed format to ensure compliance with funding agency requirements.

Artwork Guidelines
All images, graphs, maps, epidemiological curves, or illustrations should be of high quality and directly relevant to public health in African contexts. Ensure figures are embedded within the manuscript with clear, separate captions. Maps should use standardised geographic conventions and appropriate cartographic representation of African regions.

Tables
Present tables in text format rather than as images, ensuring they are numbered sequentially and accompanied by clear explanations within the manuscript.
•Table Format: Tables should be placed within the manuscript where they are first referenced. Each table should have a clear and concise title that describes the contents of the table. The table itself should be formatted with rows and columns, and it should present data in a clear and organised manner.
•Table Numbering: Tables should be numbered sequentially in the order that they appear in the text (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, etc.).
•Table Title: The title of the table should be placed above the table itself, flush left. The title should be brief yet descriptive of the contents of the table.
•Table Layout: Tables should be created using a word processor's table function, not as images or screenshots. This ensures that the text within the table remains accessible for editing and formatting.
•Table Caption: A descriptive caption should be placed below the table itself. The caption should explain any abbreviations used in the table and provide additional context or explanation if necessary.
•In-Text Citation: When referring to a table in the text, use the word "Table" followed by the table number. For example, "Table 1 presents a summary of SME performance indicators across East African markets."
•Consistency: Maintain consistency in numbering and formatting across all tables in the manuscript.
•Quality: Ensure that tables are clear, legible, and appropriately sized to fit within the manuscript's margins.

Figures
Figures should be embedded within the manuscript where they are first discussed, typically following the paragraph in which they are referenced.
•Figure Caption: Each figure should have a brief descriptive caption placed directly below the figure. The caption should include a brief title that describes the content of the figure and any necessary explanation or context.
•In-Text Citation: When referring to a figure in the text, use the word "Figure" followed by the figure number. For example, "Figure 1 shows the distribution of mobile money adoption rates across African regions."
•Placement: Ensure that figures are positioned appropriately within the manuscript to maintain readability and clarity.
•Consistency: Follow the same numbering sequence for figures as they appear in the text. If there are multiple figures, they should be numbered consecutively (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.).
•Quality: Figures should be of high quality to ensure readability, especially if they include detailed graphs, charts, maps, or images. Maps of African regions or countries should use standardised geographic conventions.

Acknowledgments
Acknowledge individuals or organisations who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship. This may include research assistants, community health workers, traditional leaders, ministry of health officials, patient advocacy groups, or field teams. Authors are encouraged to recognise community partners and acknowledge the contributions of African research institutions and local knowledge systems.

Data Availability Statement
Authors are required to include a Data Availability Statement indicating where data supporting the results reported in the article can be found. Where ethically and legally permissible, data should be made available in publicly accessible repositories or upon reasonable request to promote transparency and reproducibility in African public health research.

References
Format references in APA style 7, listed alphabetically, with double spacing between entries. Ensure all in-text citations adhere to the same APA formatting style. Given the regional focus, authors are encouraged to cite African-based research, Ministry of Health reports, WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) publications, and local grey literature where relevant and available. The use of decolonised citation practices—actively citing African scholars and regional sources—is strongly encouraged.
Author Submission Checklist
Before submitting your manuscript, ensure the following checklist items have been addressed:
•Authors' names, affiliations, and contact details are clearly provided.
•Keywords accurately reflect the content of the manuscript.
•All figures and tables referenced in the text are included and properly formatted.
•Spelling and grammar have been thoroughly checked and meet publication standards.
•Ensure that all figure and table citations in the text correspond correctly with the files provided.
•Cross-check that all references cited in the text are listed in the reference list, and vice versa.
•Obtain necessary permissions for the use of copyrighted material, including material sourced from the internet.
•Familiarise yourself with and adhere to all journal policies outlined in this submission guide.
•Upload all necessary supplementary files as required by the submission system

Submitting Your Manuscript
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically in Word format to the email below at victor@glotanjournals.com
If you do not have an existing author account, register and complete your profile to initiate the submission process. Upon successful submission, you will receive an email confirmation, and you can monitor the progress of your manuscript through your account.
Submission of Manuscript
Authors should read the “Author submission guidelines” on the journal's page before making a submission. All authors should approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission. Once a manuscript is submitted, it is assumed that all authors have read and given their approval for the submission of the manuscript and that they meet all requirements.

Time Frames
•Time for first decision: 3 weeks
•Review completion: 6 weeks
•Average number of weeks between article submission and publication: 12 weeks
For further assistance or inquiries, please contact our editorial team through the submission system or via email. We eagerly anticipate receiving your contributions to Boitekanelo: Journal of Public Health in Africa.

Open Access Policy
Boitekanelo: Journal of Public Health in Africa is an open-access journal. All articles are immediately available upon publication to promote equitable access to public health knowledge across Africa and globally. Authors retain copyright of their work, which is published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), allowing unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.