Radio journalists trained in health issues reporting

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre organized a daylong capacity-building workshop in collaboration with UNICEF for radio journalists working with local and international organizations from southern parts of the province on polio/health reporting here.

The objective was to equip radio journalists with knowledge, handy sources of information and skills that will lead to informed and accurate reporting on health-related issues.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar Muhammad Imran Khan, Deputy Director of Communication Information Department Shamsul Haq, Station Director, Pakhtunkhwa Radio Daud Khan, Deputy District Polio Officer (WHO) Peshawar, Dr Naveed Khurshid and Communication Officer of UNICEF Shadab Younas attended the workshop.

In his welcome address, Imran Khan shed light on the role of media particularly radio journalists in the context of southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rural areas.

He said that radio remained a powerful medium of communication despite the growth of other forms of media and capacity building of radio journalists on health reporting was vital to equip them with the latest skills.

He said that media played a key role in reporting on health-related issues particularly polio and it was one of the major contributing factors to the achievements made in the war against the crippling disease.

“We have covered a long journey in the fight against polio by significantly curtailing the cases due to hard work done by our frontline workers with guidance and support of the government and partners,” he said.

He said propaganda against the polio vaccine on social media was one of the factors that led to the high number of refusals, adding that fake finger-marking and demand-based refusals were the two biggest hiccups in polio eradication in the southern parts of KP.

Shamsul Haq said that Information Department had regional information officers and radio channels that were supporting the national cause of polio eradication and will continue to extend the support till the virus was stamped out of the region.

He said that the media was a key partner in polio eradication and urged the journalists to promote all lifesaving vaccinations, including polio, and help address anti-polio propaganda by bringing in trusted voices in their reports and talk shows.

Dr Naveed Khurshid said that the polio vaccine was safe and effective and highlighted the role of media in addressing community misconceptions related to polio vaccination.

He said that unvaccinated and immuno-compromised children are exposed to extreme danger of contracting polio disease in view of active virus circulation on both sides of the borders of the last endemic region making it very important to ensure immunization of all target children in every campaign.

“It is important that authentic information is disseminated through media to address community misconceptions regarding vaccination,” he added.

He shared global, national and regional polio updates, key challenges in Polio Eradication Initiative with a focus on southern KP and oriented participants about integrated services, health camps, extended outreach activities to supplement efforts to stop Wild Polio Virus (WPV) transmission in these districts in next six months.

Journalist Shaheen Afridi facilitated a session on the role of radio journalists, skills required for radio journalists, elements of features stories, documentaries, and had group work with the participants on different scenarios including talk shows, reports, documentaries and feature story.

Shadab Younas discussed various tools and tips for authentic reporting, current media trends and the impact of misreporting with specific reference to health reporting.

She emphasized the need for being accurate and mentioning the source of the information apart from adding quotes of the relevant authorities to balance the news and make it more authentic.

“Pressure should be managed while reporting on health and polio issues and solutions should be worked out to remain right and accurate while reporting health news that impact the lives of the people,” she added.

She said that Sehat Tahhafuz Helpline 1166 and 24/7 WhatsApp helpline 0346-777-65-46 was available for highlighting issues related to essential vaccinations and missed children.

The journalists asked questions about various health programmes, the polio vaccine, its safety and ingredients and participated in workgroup exercises during the sessions.

Certificates were distributed among the participants at the end.