Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) partnered with an international team of leading healthcare professionals to launch the Journal of Local and Global Health Perspectives.

The new journal is the brainchild of WCMC-Q faculty members Dietrich Büsselberg and Ravinder Mamtani, who partnered with David O Carpenter of the University at Albany, New York, and Albert B Lowenfels of the New York Medical College, forming the Journal’s chief editorial panel.

The journal is a peer-reviewed, international publication focusing on research concerning all aspects of global health practiced at local levels, in addition to the implications of local health issues within the global context.

Its objective is to share innovative and emerging evidence-based approaches to public health issues which are likely to positively influence public health policy in communities around the world.

Dr Ravinder Mamtani, professor of Public Health and associate dean for Global and Public Health at WCMC-Q, said: “This is a first for the Middle East, as there exists no other journal in this region sharing research and perspectives on public health issues with medical practitioners around the world.”

“In creating the journal, we have brought together global leaders in clinical health, genetics and translational research, infectious disease, toxicology, biostatistics, community and population health.”

“These practitioners come from regions as diverse as North America, Europe, India, Africa, and Qatar.  Together they form the editorial team which is overseen by doctors Büsselberg, Lowenfels, Carpenter and I, ensuring a broad base of scientific as well as geographic experience in public health,” he added.

The journal will provide a new portal into scientific endeavors and practical experience in public health, featuring input from the Middle East for the first time.

“As medical doctors, educators, and researchers we all stand to gain immeasurably from sharing our experiences, as well as our expertise, across borders and regions,” said according to Dr. Dietrich Büsselberg, professor of Physiology and Biophysics at WCMC-Q.

“For example, what practitioners and researchers learn about the treatment of diabetes here in the GCC has implications for treatment in the US and vice versa.  We all have valuable knowledge to share and this is why the Journal was created.”

Articles published in the Journal of Local and Global Health Perspectives will be of interest to all public health professionals and students, clinicians, primary care workers, health care policy planners, and researchers, as well as other professionals and students who work in any health care field.

In order to broaden both professional input and access to the Journal, its creators decided to make the publication open source.

“Public health is a responsibility that is shared between medical practitioners, researchers, legislators, and the public at large. This is why we chose to make the Journal an open source journal that is available to all,” according to associate editor Dr Lotfi Chouchane, professor of Genetic Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology at WCMC-Q.

“Furthermore, global public health issues are rarely viewed within the local context. 

Through our shared publication we aim to reach the maximum number of health practitioners and public health decision makers, thereby making a real impact on public health issues and initiatives around the world,” Dr Chouchane said.

The Journal of Local and Global Health Perspectives will focus mainly on clinical health, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases of public health importance, environmental health, toxicology, nutrition, health care delivery, public health policy, women’s health, and public health education.

It will also shed light upon the social, cultural, political, and economic aspects of health and disease.  The journal is currently accepting papers for review. Peer review begins with the associate editors, who then agree on appropriate independent reviewers who are engaged to review and provide feedback. – TradeArabia News Service