The African Health Sciences is an internationally refereed journal publishing original articles on research, clinical practice, public health, policy, planning, implementation and evaluation, in the health and related sciences relevant to Africa and the tropics. Its objectives are to: Advocate for and promote the growth of reading culture in sub Saharan Africa; Provide a high quality journal in which health and policy and other researchers and practitioners in the region can and world wide, can publish their work; Promote relevant health system research and publication in the region including alternative means of health care financing, the burden of and solution of health problems in marginalized urban and rural communities amongst the displaced and others affected by conflict; Promote research and the systematic collection and collation and publication of data on diseases and conditions of equity and influence; Promote development of evidence-based policies and guidelines for clinical, public health and other practitioners. African Health Sciences acknowledges support provided by the African Health Journals Partnership Project that is funded by the US National Institutes of Health (through the National Library of Medicine and the Fogarty International Center) and facilitated by the Council of Science Editors.