"Female solidarity and the active mental decision to empower oneself are the most important ways forward," write Karen Sliwa, MD, PhD, FACC, et al., in a global health case report highlighting efforts to build a network among female cardiovascular researchers and scientists in Africa. The report was published June 19 in the inaugural issue of JACC: Case Reports.

The authors note the rapid demographic changes that have taken place in Sub-Saharan Africa over the last 25 years, leading to an epidemic of cardiovascular disease. As such, a network of women has emerged who are focused on supporting each other in multicenter African studies focused on treating and preventing cardiovascular disease.

"These studies were carried out even though they were often poorly supported financially and there was not always a strong professional advantage to be gained by participating in the projects of our female colleagues," the author write. "However, this concept of solidarity has advanced the professional standing of us all by high-impact and highly cited publications of research into conditions relevant to African populations."

The case report also highlights some of the barriers facing African women researchers and scientists, including motherhood and "the old boys club culture," but notes that strong collaborations, formal mentoring programs, and sometimes friendships formed outside of work have proven "it is clearly possible to be innovative and highly productive and still manage to have a balance life."

"The global health report of the inaugural issue was written by Sliwa et al., and highlights not only the efforts in low- and middle-income countries in Africa to build strong female-led networks of clinician scientists and researchers, but also the important contribution women make as clinicians and researchers in merging forces and promoting excellence," write Julia Grapsa, MD, PhD, FACC, and Liesl Zühlke, MPH, PhD, in a related editorial. Grapsa and Zühlke note the global health reports section of the new journal is designed to "demonstrate what may be lacking in daily practice and put us outside of our comfort zone." "It is important—if we wish to be working in a clinical/academic society with equal opportunities—to understand what is happening in low- and middle-income countries," they conclude.

Read the full issue of JACC: Case Reports. Take advantage of mentoring opportunities through ACC's Women in Cardiology Member Section and online with ACC's Member Hub.

Keywords: Global Health, Mentors, Research, Research Personnel, Cardiology, Cardiovascular Diseases, Demography, Africa South of the Sahara

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