By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with Borno State Ministry of Health (MOH) have organized a three day capacity building training workshop for Borno state media personality and social media influencers on health and behavioral change reporting.
The WHO Acting Emergency Manager, Dr. Samuel Yenyi, said the workshop became necessary considering the importance the WHO gives to media practitioners in the north east Nigeria on coverage of public health emergencies in order to improve information dissemination of possible outbreak of diseases as it concerns the general public.
He urged the journalists and social media influencers to pay attention to the facilitators who presented various papers on public health and behavioral change reporting as key strategies and criteria for positive narratives on emergencies .
The Emergency Manager, further, explained that WHO and Borno State Primary Healthcare Development Agency intended to equip the journalists and social media influencers with the basic principles and techniques that will better improve their reportage on emergencies and also counter negative narratives on public health emergencies .
He expressed hope that at the end of the training , the participants will be properly equiped with the pattern of news reports that they will disseminate to the public in emergencies technically and specialized manner by way of giving the public proper, accurate and well informed education and knowledge on emergencies towards managing outbreaks in the region.
The Executive Director, Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr. Lawi Mshelia in his remark, appreciated the WHO for organizing such a workshop and commended the media practitioners in the state for their reportage, while appealing for more and continuous cordial working relationship with the state health sector and WHO.
He assured that the agency and ministry will no doubt continue to partner with the media as critical stakeholders on public health emergencies. He also thanked the State Commissioner of Health, Processor Alhaji Mohammed Araf and Borno State Governor, Babagana Unara Zulum for their support and cooperation in response to public health emergencies in the state.
The Resource Persons and facilitators at the three day training include Professor Danjuma Gambo and Processor Joseph Wilson of the University of Maiduguri, De. Marcel Ndamlo , the former Chief Editor, Guardian Newspapers, Lagos, Dr. Fatima Liman of WHO, Chima Ochemba of WHO, Mohammed Yusuf of WHO, Dr. Simon Manuel of WHO and Kingsley Igwebuike of WHO .
Papers presentation at the workshop include – an overview of epidemic prime diseases , what the public needs to know about the diseases as basic facts , concerns, issues and recommendation for prevention, WHO mandate, unhealthy emergencies and presentation on risk communication and management.
Other topics and papers presented included – journalists and social media influencers as public health workers, contemporary issues in reporting during public health emergencies, what the public wants (prevention) which the media do not offer during an outbreak and reporting impact behaviours experience sharing.
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
Leave a Reply