Last week, the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs resumed publication of the Global Health: Science and Practice (GHSP), affirming its commitment to maintaining the 12-year-old open-access journal, which was forced to cease operations in February after the dismantling of USAID.
In an editorial published along with eight new articles, CCP is seeking financial support from organizations or individuals so that GHSP can continue providing a free and open platform for practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to share practical, effective evidence and experience that directly supports global health program implementation.
“Without GHSP, many health practitioners around the world would not have access to practical evidence they need to make their programs more effective, to adapt to evolving challenges, and to share their expertise with their peers,” the editorial argues. “By working together, we can ensure GHSP remains a high-quality global good that is committed to community over commercialization.”
Given a backlog from before work was stopped, GHSP will begin processing existing manuscripts in the system before accepting new submissions. The editors will make an announcement when submissions re-open.
One of the unique features of GHSP is that, as an open-access journal, it has never charged fees for authors or readers, making findings available to the people who can benefit most. In recent years, GHSP has intentionally made efforts to include more voices from LMICs, coaching and mentoring both young researchers and experienced practitioners who may not be as familiar with the academic publishing world.
“The whole purpose of the journal is to connect practitioners, share real-world experiences, and foster a learning community in global health,” says CCP’s Ruwaida Salem, the journal’s managing editor. “GHSP is about publishing and sharing quality and useful information that public health professionals can implement in their own settings to improve people’s health and save lives. It’s about community and connection. We really value bringing people who have personal experience implementing programs together to learn from each other and avoid reinventing the wheel.”
The articles published last week were largely completed before this year’s stop work orders were issued by the U.S. government. They include an assessment of a community-driven cervical cancer screening and treatment program in rural Guatemala, a review of studies that used human-centered design to inform public health interventions in LMICs, and a viewpoint that calls on the global health community to prioritize and fund markets for menstrual health products.
GHSP authors hail from 143 countries, 99 of which are LMICs. Peer reviewers are from 101 countries, of which 78 are LMICs. Readers from more than 210 countries – 56 percent from Africa and Asia – have accessed articles more than 1.5 million times in the past year. Between January 2019 and September 2024, the proportion of authors from LMICs who published in GHSP increased from 40 percent to 63 percent, first authors from LMICs increased from 17 percent to 47 percent, and articles with at least one LMIC author increased from 61 percent to 90 percent.
“GHSP is essential now more than ever,” CCP’s Executive Director Debora B. Freitas López says. “Right now, we need a tool to capture how implementers are pivoting and innovating in this changed funding environment, and how the reductions in funding are impacting what services can be offered, the quality of care, and health outcomes. We feel fortunate to be able to revive such a crucial publication that is recognized as a global health good.”
For CCP, the biggest goal right now is to determine the best model for how to sustain GHSP.
CCP welcomes funding commitments of all sizes and durations, from short-term contributions to long-term partnerships. Along with looking for institutional donors, Salem notes that many readers and authors have asked what they can do to help support the publication. There is a link on the CCP website to collect donations. Until Sept. 30, they will be automatically directed to GHSP, the center’s number one fundraising priority at this time.
CCP is also encouraging people to tell their stories of how GHSP has made an impact on their work by using the hashtag #KeepGHSPOpen.
“Ultimately,” the editorial states, “donor support for GHSP is a commitment to the global community, ensuring the continued publication of high-quality articles that give thoughtful consideration to what works, and under what conditions, in health programs worldwide.
“Historically, our budget yielded a cost of only $0.32 per article access – a very modest investment for a publication reaching hundreds of thousands of frontline public health professionals with critical, practical, and timely information.”
To donate as an individual, click here. For institutional-driven support, please contact CCP’s Business Development team (ccpbd@jhu.edu).
