With increased prevalence rate of various health issues in Nigeria, including high rise of cancer deaths, hepatitis B, pneumonia, increased maternal mortality, malnutrition, among others, coupled with concerted efforts by stakeholders and the government to curbing these diseases, there are concerns that lots of things are still missing from both the part of stakeholders as well as the citizens in reducing these various scourges from Africa’s biggest economic hub, Nigeria.

 

Experts believe if these various health issues, which has seen millions of Nigerians loose their lives, can be tackled holistically; with priority given to primary healthcare, establishments of world class health facilities, job satisfaction and minimum industrial disputes among healthcare professionals, and high awareness programmes to inform and educate Nigerians on how to stay healthy, prevent, manage, treat and cure diseases and other health related issues, then the country can boast of drastic reduction in the high death and sufferings occasioned by the scourges.

 

This, therefore has made Roche, a Swiss healthcare pioneer, decided to tackle the issue through one of the most important areas needing focus; which is to make sure that every Nigerian is informed and educated on what to do to prevent health related issues, as well as how to treat and manage certain conditions.

 

Roche decided to tackle misinformation in health reporting through the establishment of Nigeria’s first ever Health Journalists Academy, a deliberate programme to build the capacity of health reporters through specialised techniques and latest approaches to health reporting. It is expected that knowledge gained will impact on millions of Nigerians who will become conversant with happenings in the country’s health sector, their rights in terms of healthcare, as well as general approach to healthy living.

 

Unveiling the first beneficiaries of the Academy at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, the Country Director, Roche Products Limited, Herman Addae, identified lack of awareness among Nigerians as some of the major reasons why the country was still grasping with various preventable health issues, hence the need to empower health journalists in the country, so that they can do more in terms of informing and educating the public on their health.

 

He explained that the process of putting together some of the best health writers in the country started in August with nomination open to Nigerian health journalists across Traditional and New Media platforms, which was preceded by a test, where every nominated health journalist was asked to write an article on ‘The Future of Journalism in Nigeria’.

 

He said: “What we needed was just 15 persons to kick start this year’s academic session. Hence, from those who submitted their article, which was collated and vetted by an independent panel of Judges, we selected the best 30 entries and invited them for the interview. The best 15 were eventually selected to premier the academy, and today we are unveiling them, just as we hope to equip them for the next 12 to 18 months with the required knowledge and skill needed to adequately report what is happening within the health sector, as well as how best to task Nigerians to take care of their health. All candidates will receive an accredited certification from Roche and the prestigious School of Media and Communication (SMC), Pan Atlantic University (PAU),” Addae noted.

 

Among the 15 beneficiaries drawn from the Print, Broadcast and New Media across the country, whose work will heighten awareness of health-related issues, and promote healthy living among the 170 million persons in the country are; THISDAY health writer, Martins Ifijeh, Adesuwa Omoruan of SilverBird Television, Bukola Adebayo of Punch, Wale Adepoju of The Nation, Gloria Daniels of AIT, Odiri Uchennu of Leadership newspaper and nine others.

 

Speaking further, the Country Director said the selected beneficiaries of the Academy will contribute significantly to improving awareness of health issues among Nigerians and that at the end of the programme, their style of reporting would be significantly improved to achieving the aim of the Academy.

 

Addae said, “We are convinced that our duty as responsible corporate citizens go beyond manufacturing and selling medication and medical devices. We have therefore decided to explore a new way to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

 

“Recent studies indicate that Nigerians view good health as the absence of medical symptoms instead of a holistic reflection of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. This is typically demonstrated by late presentation of diseases and eventual high mortality from preventable deaths.

 

 

He noted that generally, there was poor public awareness about diseases burden in Nigeria, adding that, although, there were areas in the country where healthcare facilities could be seen as improving, there was poor public awareness about health and diseases. “There is the need therefore to engage journalists; who are positioned by virtue of their professional calling to advance the cause of the nation’s health through their reportage and coverage of the health sector,” he added.

 

While explaining why Roche will continue to sustain the initiative until disease burdens become things of the past in the country, he stressed that the relationship between the organisation and the country goes beyond its commercial activities, but rather on how to contribute to the nation’s health sector.

 

He said: “We are convinced that our duty as a responsible corporate citizen goes beyond manufacturing and selling medication and medical devices. We have therefore decided to explore new ways to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria and this is one of the major reasons for the birth and launch of this initiative: the Health Journalists Academy.

 

“We are especially encouraged by the support from the Federal Ministry of Health in taking on this initiative and would like to appreciate the ministry for this,” he noted.

 

Addae said the Academy initiative was in partnership with the School of Media and Communication (SMC) of the Pan-Atlantic University and it was aimed at enriching health reportage and coverage in Nigeria by sharpening the skills of health journalists through exposure to the latest trends and techniques for specialized reporting as well as offering them deeper insights into health issues and diseases that are challenging the health of the nation.

 

Addae, therefore called on other corporate bodies, public spirited individuals and the government to support the initiative, so that year-in-year-out, the programme will be sustained, such that no health journalist in the country will miss out of the experience and the benefits that comes with it.

 

While commending Roche for the initiative, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute, said one of the gaps in the health sector was the lack of awareness among Nigerians on health issues which only health reporters can close.

 

Awute, who was represented by the Director Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. Ngozi Azodoh, said the Academy couldn’t have come at a better time, as Nigerians need to get informed and educated on prevention, treatment and cure of diseases, and as well as know what to do when confronted with health related issues.

 

Mr. Awute stated, “I believe this Academy will infuse new energy into health reporting in Nigeria. I applaud the vision and sense of commitment of Roche team and it is my expectation that the top 15 journalists who are beneficiaries of this Academy will diligently apply the knowledge they will obtain, to encourage and galvanize the change in Nigeria’s health sector,” he added.

 

He also encouraged the beneficiaries to be change agents for the Nigerian Health sector and make good use of the knowledge they will acquire at the Academy either for policy formulation purposes or for public enlightenment purposes.

 

On her part, the President of Ego Bekke Foundation, Dr. Edith Chidinma Uwajumogu, while speaking on ‘Access to Healthcare: The Roles of NGOs’ said this academy was necessary because there were lots of health issues in the country that needs reporting so that both the policy makers and the public can know and then do something about them.

 

She said the way health issues were been reported would have a direct impact on how the same health issue would either thrive in the country or not, adding that breast cancer, cervical cancer, hepatitis B and C, pneumonia, maternal mortality and a host of other diseases deserve the attention Ebola Virus Disease was given by the media,

 

“The belief that strengthening the health journalists would help in reducing health-related issues in the country is evidenced in the way Nigeria defeated the dreaded Ebola virus that ravaged some African countries. Indeed, most people attributed the bulk of the success to the way the media made the issue a front burner, reporting it passionately, which in turn made every Nigerian aware of the dos and don’ts of the dreaded disease.

 

“When the issue of Ebola was at its peak in the country and people were going about with false rumour regarding the use of salt water and bitter kola, the media was there to provide a guide. When an infected person ran to Port Harcourt, the media was also there to raise the alarm. Even when the person was being transported back to Lagos along with those who have had contact with her, the public was awash with even the time of movement. And in no time, Ebola was defeated in the country,” she said.

 

She noted that such passion of reportage was lacking when talking about other health issues, adding that with the Academy, health writers will be aided to know what area needed to be focused on and then make front burner.

 

She also decried the lack of priority generally given to the health sector by the various media houses in the country. “Our newspapers prefer to either make politics or business news their front burners. Every day we see headlines talking always about politics, business and the economy, without any recourse to the health sector.

 

“The health sector is a very unique sector in the country, which every other sector depends on. If we are sick, we won’t talk about politics or how to make money. In times of war or calamity, other sectors will be relaxed, but health facilities and health personnel would have no such luxury. That is when they will even be on the field the more, trying to save lives,” she said.

 

She also noted that health journalists were not doing enough in terms of reporting the rot in the healthcare system, which has seen millions of lives lost, especially that of women and children.

 

Painting some scenarios, while charging health journalists to report such issues in order to put pressure on the government and stakeholders, she said there was a time her organisation brought a cancer patient to Gwari Hospital, Abuja, and that for over three weeks, the woman was still on queue to be attended to. “We had to take her to Kaduna where she was later treated. And we all know that an hour is very important to the treatment of cancer, yet this woman was there for three weeks without being attended to.

 

“There was also a time a pregnant woman, who was in labour, was carried in a wheel barrow to a distant health facility to be able to give birth. She died on the way because she could not access healthcare. And the truth is millions of Nigerians are suffering poor healthcare today, and their stories need to be told.

 

“When my mother was being treated for cancer, I went to the hospital to see her, but saw a healthcare provider shouting at a patient, and I felt so bad because treatment is not just physical but a whole lot of things, involving emotions and psychology. Sometimes, you see where healthcare providers treat patients without care. These stories need to be told for our health sector to fall in line. Only the journalists can put pressure on the government and stakeholders to do the right thing,” Uwajumogu noted.

 

She also advised that for the healthcare system to work perfectly, other sectors must undergo same restructuring, adding that electricity, portable water, security, stable economy, among others are parts of what the health sector needs to attain the desired standard.

 

By This Day