The current issue of IJMBS is the last issue of the 13th volume and 13 years of its life. The Journal sustained its peer-review principle and its philosophy of being relevant to its readers and mentorship to its authors; in addition, it had maintained timeliness of all issues. The viewpoint by the Deputy Editor using the proverb “charity starts at home” to call for emerging journals to receive what he called “positive discrimination” by their own regional universities and academic institutions. This should help address the North–South gap of research and publishing.
The issue has two reviews of the literature on common complications of hemodialysis for practicing clinicians and of the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy practice in the Middle East and Africa. The four original articles addressed a variety of topics. These include the prevalence of short stature among schoolchildren and adolescents in Tripoli, Libya, a study of the motives for physical activity participation among Libyan adults, the profile of microorganisms associated with intra-amniotic infection among women with preterm birth at Ruhengeri Referral Hospital, Rwanda, and a study comparing small versus large bite closure in midline laparotomy with view to assess impact on reduction of surgical site infection, wound dehiscence, and incisional hernia. The one year experience with COVID19 in Benghazi and the cardiac autonomic neuropathy in people with diabetes from Tripoli gave interesting perspectives.
A SWOT analysis on how to ensure smooth implementation of an attitude, ethics, and communication module in medical colleges, specifically reflected on the experience in India following the recent decree by the Medical Council of India. This should make a good reminder to both old and young medical schools. The case reports included a rare plasmacytoma of the ovary and a severe hyperglycemia in an insulin-deficient patient with type 2 diabetes responding well to oral antidiabetic therapy, both of which have interesting and valuable teaching points. The challenges of diagnosis and management of rare metabolic conditions were illustrated by the Gaucher's disease case.
We hope our readers enjoy and benefit from the issue and wish you and yours a prosperous and happy new year for 2022.
Author's contribution
Single
Compliance with ethical principles
Not required.
