By, Sadiq Abubakar, Maiduguri
A Non Governmental Organization (LAFIYA PROGRAM), a UKAID organization, has organized a two day workshop training on, “The Role of Communication In COVID-19 Pandemic” from Wednesday 16th to Thursday, 17th December, 2020 at ARMANI Events Center , Off Damboa Road, Maiduguri.
In his opening remark, the State Chairman NUJ , Borno State Council, Comrade Bulama Talba said the training was timely and apt while commending the organizers, Lafiya Program ,who funded the training of the media agencies and journalists on misinformation , news gathering and dissemination of negative information on COVID -19, transmission and hygiene.
He added that the workshop came at a right time when the second wave of COVID 19 was around and charged media practitioners to give adequate attention to COVID 19 issues in the society.
The chairman further called on other NGOs to continue to partner with NUJ in providing adequate training for the working journalists in the state for purpose optimum performance and specialized reportage, stressing that , the role of the media in the society is key and vital to development .
The chairman promised that those trained would step down the knowledge they acquired in the training to those who were not opportuned to attend while appreciating the resource persons and facilitators at the two day training workshop.
The Director of Press , Government House, Maiduguri, Mr. Ndahi Sawah Pindar in his remark appreciated the organizers and urged the journalists to concentrate and be attentive during the training as well out what they may learn at the workshop to use by changing the narrative from negative to positive about COVID-19 existence, prevention and treatment .
He also noted that the pandemic is real and there was need for accurate, objective and meaningful reportage about the virus and its transmission especially in public places or gatherings, pointing out that, social distancing, wearing of face marks, hand wash and maintenance of hand hygiene were important for everybody journalist who are at the high risk like the medical doctors of being transmitted.
The Lafiya Program COVID-19 Coordinator, Dr. Bashir Malgwi elaborated and demonstrated on Hand Hygiene at homes, officers, work places, public gatherings , ceremonies, markets, etc while the Lafiya Program Public Health Officer, Dr. Emmanuel Linus tutored and recapped on categories of virus, sanitation and common ways COVID-19 could be transmitted, prevented and treated using soaps, sanitizers , ash, sand to Wash hand , wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing.
Resources persons at the two day workshop training include Dr. Musa Usman Konduga of Mass Communication Department, University of Maiduguri who in his papers dwelt on Communication, Development and Social Change as well as the Challenges of Health Communication in Nigeria , Development Communication Planning and Communicating COVID-19 Perspectives.
Dr. Hambali Idris spoke extensively, on the following papers , Overview of COVID-19, Introduction to COVID-19 Infection, Prevention and Control ( IPC), Transmission Based Precaution and the Use of Personal Protective Equipment