Open Publishing
PublicHealth.Africa, with support from WACREN, champions the equitable dissemination of African researchers' scholarly outputs through two major open publishing platforms operated by WACREN: BAOBAB, an open access general-purpose repository, and COPPHA PublishNow, an open review platform.
BAOBAB
BAOBAB is an open-access repository developed as part of WACREN's strategy to support diamond open access publishing in Africa. It was developed based on a comprehensive needs assessment conducted by PublicHealth.Africa and LIBSENSE to address the challenges African researchers face in sharing their work.
What Does BAOBAB Offer?
BAOBAB provides free and unrestricted access to a wide range of research outputs, ensuring that valuable knowledge is available to all. It supports multiple output types, including preprints, reports, datasets, presentations, and more.
Why Use BAOBAB?
- No access barriers (fully open access, no paywalls)
- Institutional and individual uploads
- High discoverability (all outputs receive persistent identifiers (ARK) for long-term access)
COPPHA PublishNow
COPPHA PublishNow is an open review platform operated by WACREN that implements the PRC (Publish, Review, Curate) model. It allows researchers to engage in the open review of preprints and receive transparent, constructive feedback. The platform integrates with ORCID, enabling reviewers to claim credit. Reviewers may choose to disclose their identities or stay anonymous. It also provides tools for assigning and managing reviews, fostering a fair and community-led review process. Through this platform, COPPHA supports high-quality public health research built on transparency, collaboration, and accountability.
The Publish–Review–Curate (PRC) Model
The PRC model addresses the limitations of traditional publishing by dividing the process into three phases: Publish, Review, and Curate. It enables:
By decentralising the publishing process, the PRC model promotes inclusivity and enhances the visibility of African-led research.
How the PRC Model Works
Publish: Researchers upload preprints to open repositories such as BAOBAB.
Review: Preprints are openly reviewed on COPPHA PublishNow, with reviews published alongside the work.
Curate: Reviewed preprints are organised into thematic collections with editorial assessments.
Pathways to Journal Publication
Authors can submit reviewed preprints to journals. Public review reports provide editors with evidence of prior evaluation which speeds up the review process. COPPHA PublishNow also aims to support overlay journals built around openly reviewed preprints.
Visit COPPHA PublishNow to submit work, explore reviews, or join as a reviewer