The journal Anales de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas of the Universidad Nacional de Asunción, founded in 1927, constitutes one of the most significant assets of Paraguay’s medical academic heritage. Over nearly one hundred years of existence, it has documented the development of medicine in our country, enduring various historical, political, and economic vicissitudes that have affected both the nation and the university. This continuity reflects the academic community’s determination to maintain a space for scientific dissemination, even in the most adverse circumstances ¹.

It was selected within the framework of the scientific journal strengthening program of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). This recognition represents both a validation of the journal’s long-standing trajectory and an opportunity for modernization and international projection. The support received will allow for improvements in technological infrastructure, editorial team training, and the consolidation of editorial processes aligned with international standards ².

Scientific output in the health sciences in Paraguay has experienced gradual growth over recent decades; however, it still faces challenges such as limited funding, a weak publication culture among health professionals, and low international visibility of local research. Bibliometric statistics reveal that, although the number of Paraguayan publications indexed in international databases has increased, we are still far from reaching the levels of scientific production observed in other countries of the region ³.

Currently, the most widely used sources of publication metadata and bibliometric indicators for evaluating research and academic activity are Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus, which are cited as the two main international information databases. Indexing in Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, and also MEDLINE represents a significant challenge for Paraguayan scientific journals. These indexes demand strict compliance with criteria such as editorial quality, consistency in publication frequency, geographic and institutional diversity of authors and reviewers, and the impact of published articles. Meeting these standards requires sustained effort and a clear strategic vision ⁴.

A fundamental pillar of this new stage is the restoration and reorganization of the Anales Editorial Board, in line with national and international requirements for scientific publications. This restructuring involves institutional and international diversification of its members and the implementation of an identifier for each, ensuring transparency and facilitating the recognition of their contributions on a global scale. These members will assume strategic roles in defining editorial policies ^5,6.

We are also planning to include junior editors and reviewers as part of a training strategy for future editors, ensuring the continuity and renewal of the editorial team ⁷.

The quality of a scientific journal largely depends on the strength of its editorial processes, which is one of the primary objectives of Anales. To this end, we rely on the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform, which ensures traceability throughout the entire editorial process. In order to achieve this goal, a continuous training program will be established for platform administrators, as well as for reviewers and authors. Additionally, workshops will be held on critical appraisal, publishing ethics, and editorial best practices, with the aim of consolidating a consistent commitment to regular publication-an essential factor for indexing in international databases ⁸.

English is currently the international language of science, as it enables communication among scientists and the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and discoveries across different disciplines. To foster this exchange, Anales will implement bilingual publication of all its articles. This strategy will enhance the visibility of published scientific work, attract contributions from international researchers, increase the citation potential of articles, and facilitate indexing in prestigious databases. To support this policy, a language review service will be established to ensure the linguistic quality of manuscripts, providing authors with assistance in translating and editing their texts ⁹.

Strengthening Anales requires the commitment of the entire Paraguayan and international scientific community. We call on researchers and health professionals to prioritize the publication of their original findings in our journal, thus contributing to the consolidation of a national academic platform with international projection. We also invite academic and healthcare institutions to promote a culture of scientific publishing among their members and to recognize this activity in evaluation and promotion processes. We encourage experienced scholars to join our body of peer reviewers, bringing their expertise and knowledge. Young researchers are invited to begin engaging in scientific publishing, taking advantage of the training and mentorship opportunities that the journal will offer.

As we begin this new phase, we reaffirm our commitment to scientific excellence and the dissemination of medical knowledge in Paraguay and the region. The changes to be implemented do not represent a rupture with our tradition, but rather a necessary evolution to adapt to the challenges of contemporary scientific communication. The consolidation of Anales as a reference journal is a collective challenge that requires the commitment of all stakeholders within the national scientific community.