A Journey Through the First to Eighteenth Issue of JKAHS

Abstract

The Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (JKAHS) is an official publication of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS), a government organization founded on October 20, 2011, by an act of the Parliament of Nepal [1]. KAHS was established with the objective of enhancing the quality of healthcare services, medical education, and research in remote and underserved areas of Nepal. The establishment of JKAHS in 2018 is a reflection of commitment of KAHS to these goals, providing a dedicated platform for the dissemination of scientific knowledge and clinical experiences in the health sciences [2].JKAHS is a peer-reviewed, international medical journal that operates under a diamond open access model, that means all its contents are freely accessible to readers without any subscription or paywall barriers [2]. This model not only broadens the journal’s audience, including researchers, students, policymakers, and the general public, but also aligns with the mission of KAHS to disseminate knowledge widely and equitably [1]. Importantly, JKAHS does not charge any fees for the submission, processing, or publication of manuscripts, thus removing financial barriers for authors and promoting inclusivity in scientific publishing. Additionally, to ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of its content in the internet, JKAHS archives all its articles in LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) and CLOCKSS (Controlled Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) [2]. These archiving systems safeguard the integrity and usability of the published work, ensuring that it remains available to future generations.It is triannual journal publishing three issues per year, and is available both online and in print with pISSN 2616-0064 and eISSN 2676-1327 [2]. This regular publication schedule ensures a steady flow of new research and insights, contributing to the continuous advancement of medical knowledge.Achievements and milestonesOne of our significant achievements has been in indexing of JKAHS in two national databases namely Nepal JournalOnline (NepJol) in 2019 [3] and NepalMedLine (NepMed) in 2020 [4]. The NepJol is hosted by Central Library (TUCL) and it is hosted by Ubiquity Press [3] whereas NepMed is hosted my Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) [4]. A part from these national databases, we have been indexed in DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journal) [5] and Hinari [6] in 2023. In the earlier days after indexing in NepJol, individual articles were assigned an unique DOI (digital object identifier) from NepJol (10.3126/jkahs). Later on we have taken our own DOI (10.61814/jkahs) directly from CrossRef under the sponsroship under GEM (Global Equitable Membership (GEM) Program from CrossRef [7]. This recognition is a testament to the quality and impact of our published research. Being indexed has enhanced the visibility and accessibility of our articles, attracted a broader readership and fostered greater academic collaboration.