The first issue of The Union's new open access, online journal, Public Health Action (PHA), is currently launching. PHA has been designed to provide a platform for The Union's vision of 'Health solutions for the poor'. It addresses the clear need for showcasing operational research that focuses on issues and challenges in health systems and services. It publishes high-quality scientific research that provides new knowledge to improve the accessibility, equity, quality and efficiency of health systems and services.
Some scholars do not consider that operational research is true science. PHA is in the vanguard to demonstrate that this is not the case. This type of research addresses research questions / hypotheses, uses rigorous scientific protocols, carries out statistical analysis and provides the new knowledge that is required to improve health systems / services. PHA maintains the highest standards of scientific research in the articles that it publishes.
In keeping with the mission of The Union, PHA is open access, available to all who need the new knowledge that it provides. In order to accomplish this, a small charge is levied from those whose articles are accepted for publication in the journal to ensure that it will be sustainable.
Many are talking about operational research – PHA is showing the way forward by publishing it.