Research conducted in Africa has the potential to shape health policies, strengthen health systems, and improve lives across the continent. Yet much of it remains difficult to access, overlooked in favor of research published elsewhere, or locked behind subscription paywalls. As a result, policymakers, practitioners, and the researcher community often struggle to access locally relevant evidence when they need it most.
For Apatsa Selemani, a CARTA cohort 10 fellow, this challenge was all too familiar. Having worked as a librarian supporting researchers at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), he had seen firsthand how African scholarship often struggled to reach the audiences it was intended to serve. That experience inspired the focus of his PhD research.
Understanding Why African Research Remains Underutilized
During his doctoral studies, Apatsa examined journal indexing and the scientific impact of African public health journals, exploring why research conducted on the continent often has limited visibility and influence both within Africa and globally.
His findings revealed structural inequalities in knowledge production and dissemination rooted in neo-colonial legacies and other systemic factors that continue to shape which research is discovered, cited, and ultimately used. While collaborations with institutions in the global North can expand research opportunities, they can also reinforce dependence on external publishing systems if they are not built on equitable partnerships.
To address these challenges, his study proposed practical recommendations to strengthen scholarly communication in Africa. These include improving African journal indexing systems so locally published research is easier to discover and access; supporting sustainable publishing models suited to institutional capacity, including diamond, gold, and hybrid open-access models; and revising academic promotion systems that continue to reward publication in international journals over high-quality African journals.
For Malawi, like other African countries, these changes would make locally relevant evidence more accessible to libraries, researchers, health professionals, and policymakers, increasing the likelihood that African research informs national decision-making and public health practice.
Beyond his dissertation, Apatsa has shared these findings through peer-reviewed publications and engagements with academics, journal editors, university research administrators, research managers, and government policymakers, contributing to ongoing conversations on research visibility, scholarly publishing, and knowledge dissemination across Africa.
From Supporting Researchers to Strengthening Research Systems
Apatsa describes CARTA as a turning point in his professional journey.
Coming from a Library and Information Science background and pursuing a PhD in Public Health, he gained a broader understanding of how research extends beyond universities to influence policy, practice, and society. The fellowship also strengthened his confidence as a researcher, educator, and leader. “The difference only becomes clear when you look back to where you started,” he says. “I think I’m a whole different person now.”
Today, Apatsa’s work spans research, teaching, mentorship, and evidence synthesis, helping strengthen the systems that enable high-quality research to be produced, communicated, and applied.
Drawing on skills developed through CARTA and his doctoral training, he teaches research methods, supervises postgraduate students, and facilitates workshops on systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, scientific writing, abstract development, and manuscript preparation through universities and research institutions. These capacity-strengthening efforts have enabled postgraduate students and researchers to produce conference abstracts and draft manuscripts, several of which have been presented at scientific conferences and are progressing towards publication.
Beyond training others, Apatsa has established himself as a methodological expert in evidence synthesis. He serves as a lead author on research projects using systematic and umbrella reviews to answer complex public health questions. He currently leads multiple reviews examining the integration of non-communicable diseases and immunization within primary childhood healthcare programming, generating evidence that can inform policy, clinical practice, and future research. His growing expertise has also opened opportunities to contribute to institutional leadership and national development.
Beyond the PhD
Apatsa is quick to acknowledge that his journey has been shaped by many actors, including mentors, colleagues, professional associations, and institutional opportunities at KUHeS. CARTA’s contribution, however, was distinctive in helping him connect research, teaching, leadership, and policy engagement.
His journey illustrates an important but often overlooked aspect of research capacity strengthening. Investing in researchers generates impact far beyond outputs such as publications or securing grants. It develops educators who train future scientists, methodological experts who strengthen research quality, leaders who influence institutions, and knowledge brokers who help ensure evidence reaches decision-makers.
It also highlights the critical role of librarians and information professionals in Africa’s research ecosystem. Often working behind the scenes, they help make research easier to discover, access, evaluate, and use. Increasingly, they also contribute to evidence synthesis, research quality, scholarly publishing, and capacity strengthening—ensuring that African research is not only produced but also trusted and applied.
For Apatsa, the outcome of the PhD is not simply a doctoral degree. It is the confidence, expertise, and leadership to help make African research easier to find, use, and trust.