The latest issue of Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press’ (HBKU Press) journal on QScience.com devoted to public health research, Avicenna, explores the various challenges and opportunities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and is now available to readers around the world.

The Avicenna journal was launched on QScience.com in 2010 as an international, peer-reviewed, Open Access journal that informs and stimulates scholarly discussion toward improving the delivery of healthcare. The journal publishes original research, clinical and epidemiological studies, reviews and evaluations, guidelines, expert opinion and commentary, case reports, as well as extended reports that reflect upon the specific challenges that healthcare delivery faces.

“This latest issue of the Avicenna journal was devoted to COVID-19-related research as the onset of the pandemic spurred researchers to explore different perspectives – from its impact on our mental and physical wellness, economic and social reforms, to the impact it has on clinical and public health policies, procedures, and more,” explains Dr. Rima Isaifan, Head of Journals and Academic Publishing at HBKU Press. “Our aim with this issue, as always, is to support local and regional researchers who are contributing to the global research landscape by providing them with a devoted platform to share their work to the world.”

“As the Avicenna journal is indexed on Google Scholar, the local and regional researchers highlighted in the issue will receive worldwide exposure that ensures their work is properly disseminated with their copyrights intact, while increasing their potential for citations and overall impact. To that end, HBKU Press plays a pivotal role in the knowledge economy relating to the documentation of this unique moment in human history.”

Dr. Chokri Kooli, PhD, CFA, UNESCO Public Policy Expert, assistant professor at Lusail University (Qatar) and adjunct assistant professor at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa (Canada), is the new Editor-in-Chief of Avicenna and explains the impact that such a journal has in a local and global context.

“I’m pleased to support HBKU Press’ reputable research platform, QScience.com, through the Avicenna journal that serves the best interests of young researchers in Qatar, the MENA region, and the world. Through this collection of scientific publications, we are participating in the development of a local society based on the continuous development and spread of knowledge. Publishing and sharing experiences relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to public health outcomes will also benefit local, regional, and international communities positively.”

The broad scope of the journal includes a variety of research articles that highlight the many aspects of the pandemic. For example, one article by Jaseem Sirajudeen, Arun Prabhakaran Nair, Rabia Waseem Hassany, Nishan K Purayil, Joe Varghese Mathew, Ihab T Elmadhoun, Mulham Mustafa, all of whom have one or more affiliation with Hamad Medical Corporation and the College of Medicine at Qatar University, provides clinical research on how certain infections have been misdiagnosed as COVID-19, serving as warning to medical practitioners around the world. 

The authors present the case of a 31-year-old male, who came to the emergency department with fever, aches, and fatigue, and was initially diagnosed and managed as a case of COVID-19. On further evaluation, his illness proved to be brucellosis, a bacterial infection with similar symptoms to COVID-19 but with a unique rash and lesions that developed and caused practitioners to be able to properly diagnose the illness as a dermatological infection and not a virus. The article explores how to differentiate from both illnesses and warns practitioners that even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to keep an open mind when dealing with patients with fever and similar symptoms.

“The impact of COVID-19 and the strategies explored through the articles published in the Avicenna journal are not unique to one county or region, which means the outcomes and lessons learned can be applied globally and have the potential to drive change as the pandemic continues,” said Dr. Isaifan. “We hope that future issues of the Avicenna journal will continue to highlight pertinent and widespread issues of public health from a local to global perspective.”

The Avicenna journal is published bi-annually. The theme for the next issue, set to be published in December 2021, is research relating to mental health. The call for submissions is now open. For more information and to apply, please contact infoqscience@hbku.edu.qa.