Rotary International has organised a three day training for journalists in Gombe state towards enhancing their capacities with the requisite knowledge for effective coverage and reportage on Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Child Health (RMNCH).
In an opening remarks, the Rotary’s Capacity Building Specialist, Mary Alaje said the training is under the project, Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria(THFN) being an initiative of the Rotary International.
She said the training was aimed at improving maternal and infant health by providing mothers and newborns with the targeted healthcare and a systemic access to life saving services in Nigeria.
She added that the organisation sees the media practitioners as veritable tools for reaching out to communities with the necessary information that would bring about behavioral change, especially about myths and misconceptions on reproductive health issues towards reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Nigeria.
Mary Alaje also took time to enumerate the THFN activities to include training of hospital staff and health workers, equipping health facilities, distribution of medical equipment, community dialogue and outreaches.
Presenting the speech of the RMCH, Country Director of Rotary International Professor Emmanuel Adedolapo Lufadeju, Rotarian Muhammed Dantata Ndus explained that the THFN project was launched as a pilot project to be executed in Nasarawa, Gombe, Ekiti and the FCT from 2022 to 2025.
He noted that at the end of the training, participants will expand their information dissemination and awareness creation capacity so as to promote positive role modeling, facilitate dialogues and influence policy makers to better the RMCH situations in Gombe state.
“This workshop is to enable you get acquainted with what Rotary is doing on RMCH, knowing the fact that most, if not all of you here are content creators and media professionals. The Rotary believes in your capacity to reach out to communities and policy makers with your messages and advocacy for positive change on maternal and child health “ he said.
Rotarian Ndus also said engaging the media in the crusade remains paramount as one of the ways to ensure sustainability of Rotary’s efforts on RMCH should the donors withdraw support.
Also speaking, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, applauded Rotary International for organizing the workshop and expressed hope that the lessons will spur the journalists to more commitments in reporting health issues in general.
“Health stories are different from other stories because they are mostly sensitive, especially during outbreaks, so I challenge you the journalists to be sending fair and balanced reports backed by facts at all times”.
Dr. Habu Dahiru also reiterated that the incumbent government will continue to support organisations whose focus is to develop Gombe state and it people generally.
During the three day training, participants were taken through presentations by experts from the health and media cycles.