Avoiding Plagiarism in Academic Writing: a Guide on What to Cite and How

This article defends the conventional view that plagiarism in academic writing is a form of publication misconduct. I emphasize that what constitutes plagiarism is presenting the intellectual product of another as if it is one's own. Common knowledge does not need to be cited; but verbatim text; data; results; distinctive arguments; organizational structures and ideas; do. What academic authors would like to have protected are their distinctive or novel contributions to their fields of knowledge; whatever form those take. Those who Plagiarize act unethically because they seek to obtain credit that is not due to them and they deny credit to those to whom it is due. Self-plagiarism is another form of academic misconduct that entails seeking to obtain credit for the same work more than once. As with plagiarism; it is seen as dishonest and fraudulent. Avoiding accusations of plagiarism can be easily achieved by following a few simple conventions of referencing and punctuation; and academic authors are advised to protect their own reputations by following these conventions

Enhancing the Role of Traditional Medicine in Health Systems: A Strategy for the African Region

In line with Resolution AFR/RC50/ R3 (Promoting the role of traditional medicine in health systems: A strategy for the African Region; 2000); Member States took steps between 2001 and 2012 to promote traditional medicine by developing national policies and regulatory frameworks and by implementing some priority interventions. By 2012; a total of 40 countries had national policies; 19 had strategic plans and there were 28 national research institutes that conducted research on traditional medicine products used for malaria; HIV/ AIDS; sickle-cell disease; diabetes and hypertension. In addition; seven countries included traditional medicine products into their national essential medicines lists (NEML) and nine adopted national frameworks for the protection of intellectual property rights and traditional medicine knowledge related to practices and products. Despite the progress made; countries continue to face challenges in implementing Resolution AFR/RC50/R3. This article introduces an updated strategy ( Regional Strategy on Promoting the Role of Traditional Medicine in Health Systems reproduced at the end of this article) that proposes key interventions to address these challenges and builds on the successful promotion of the positive aspects of traditional medicine in national health systems. The focus is on strengthening of stewardship and governance; the development and use of tools; the cultivation of medicinal plants and conservation of biological diversity; research and development; local production; the protection of intellectual property rights and traditional medicine knowledge; intersectoral coordination and capacity building

Le medicament essentiel en Afrique : pour une vision globale

L'apparition des programmes d'appui a l'approvisionnement des ARV; des antipaludiques (ACT) et des antituberculeux a amplifie le phenomene d'evaluation des Centrales d'achats nationales de medicaments essentiels. Certaines cent rales ont ete ensuite tenues a l'ecart; l'approvisionnement ayant ete confie a des agences de l'ONU; decision qui souleve le probleme du renforcement des capacites locales et de la perennisation des systemes nationaux d'approvisionnement. L'ACAME (Association des centrales d'achats africaines de medicaments essentiels); soutenue par le Ministere francais des Affaires etrangeres; vise a ameliorer la performance des centrales d'achats nationales. Son programme s'articule autour de la fo rm ation pluridisciplinaire de ses membres; de la favorisation des echanges d'experiences; de la mise en commun du travail; notamment pour sa politique progressive d'achats; qui passe par l'etape indispensable de la selection commune des fournisseurs. La creation de la FIAM / UNITAID represente une lueur d'espoir pour un financement perenne et une facilitation des approvisionnements delicats (ARV de deuxieme ligne et formes pediatriques; ACT); a laquelle les centrales souhaitent etre associees. La focalisation des partenaires sur l'approvision-nement tend a releguer au second plan les autres aspects conditionnant l'usage rationnel du medicament . On constate en effet des derives au niveau de l'appli- cation effective du systeme de recouvrement des couts et du mecanisme de tarification des medicaments en peripherie. La prescription de medicaments generiques et leur disponi- bilite dans les hopitaux posent toujours probl e m e;notamment aupres des malades en consultation externe ou des malades chroniques. Les infrastructures de stockage peripheriques necessiteraient une rehabilitation pour maintenir une stabilite des produits pharmaceutiques acquis desormais dans des conditions d'assu- rance de qualite rigoureuses. La presence d'un marche illicite developpe et dangereux demanderait un engagement ferme des autorites et une coordination inter- sectorielle renforcee