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A delegation from the Media Epidemiology, Infodemiology, and Social Behavior Change/Risk Communication (Media-EIS) Fellowship visited the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, February 16, 2024. Their mission was to advocate for precise reporting on health matters, emphasizing solution-oriented journalism for more effective disease prevention and control.
The Media-EIS Fellowship, a collaborative initiative involving the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), USAID Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), and the Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (BON), aims to enhance Nigeria’s capacity in health communication. Through empowering media practitioners, the fellowship seeks to contribute to the success of disease prevention and response efforts.
Dr. Olayinka Umar-Farouq of USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria, leading the delegation, briefed FRCN management on the objectives and activities of the Media-EIS Fellowship. She stressed the importance of encouraging solution-focused reporting on health issues and solicited the station’s support for health programming/content, while also exploring potential areas of collaboration.
The fellows-in-training, selected for a 9-month fellowship from various geographic zones through a competitive application process, are currently undergoing training in producing content covering key areas such as vaccine-preventable diseases, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, zoonotic diseases, microbial resistance, and specific health issues like Lassa Fever, lead poisoning, chloroquine-resistant malaria, and hypertension.
Dr. Abiodun Oguniyi, Assistant Director at NCDC and Facilitator of the Media EIS Fellowship, elaborated on the fellowship’s focus on enhancing public health capacity through training in Basic Epidemiology, Infodemiology, Social and Behavior Change (SBC), and Risk Communication. This training aims to simplify complex health terminologies and trends, thereby reducing the potential for misinformation in society.
Representing the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Mr. Ahaziah Suleiman explained that the fellows are undergoing professional journalism training through BON, alongside thematic science reporting training.
Mr. Osana Omame, Director of Corporate Development and Communication at FRCN, expressed the station’s openness to collaboration in various areas identified by the fellowship. However, he encouraged the inclusion of more Radio Nigeria staff in their training and fellowship opportunities.
The Director News at FRCN commended the initiative behind the fellowship and emphasized its timeliness, highlighting the dangers posed by disease misinformation. She called for the dissemination of skills to more reporters to effectively address this problem.
Ehizogie Ohiani, General Manager of Click Naija Channel, urged the Media EIS Team to incorporate digital elements into the stories told by the fellows to increase their reach and combat the “silent pandemic” more effectively.
The team of fellows is gearing up to launch an antimicrobial resistance campaign to raise awareness and encourage informed decision-making, focusing on prevention and control to reduce the need for antibiotics.
FRCN hosts longstanding health programs like “Health Watch” and “NAFDAC and Your Health,” along with other health programs on local and FM stations across Radio Nigeria.
