A global health expert has urged public health stakeholders in Nigeria and beyond to ensure the lasting impact of their conferences by publishing the outcomes in peer-reviewed journals.
Speaking in Abuja during an interview on Monday, global expert, Dr. Stephen Aremu emphasised that valuable insights generated from seminars, policy roundtables and summits on critical health issues – such as infectious diseases, vaccine equity, maternal health and health systems strengthening – should not vanish after the applause fades.
“Why let those transformative ideas and powerful recommendations disappear after the event? Let them live beyond PowerPoint slides. Let them reach new audiences, spark debates and influence policy and practice,” Aremu said.
He explained that publishing conference proceedings adds credibility to the events and preserves shared knowledge for academic research and policymaking. According to Aremu, such publications amplify expert voices, provide citation-worthy resources, stimulate continuous dialogue and contribute to evidence-based decision-making in global health.
Aremu recommended journals such as BMC Proceedings, BMJ Open, The Lancet Conference Reports, Frontiers in Public Health, Global Health Action and Annals of Global Health as suitable platforms for publishing proceedings.
He advised government ministries, NGOs, universities and health communicators to incorporate publication plans into their event strategies and engage early with journal editors to ensure submissions meet required standards.
“Whether it’s a local stakeholder meeting or an international summit, the knowledge shared deserves permanence,” he said. “Ask yourself: What happens after the final applause? The answer should be: We publish, we preserve, we inspire.”
