Health Watch Dialogues With Journalists To Strengthen Nigeria’s Epidemic Preparedness

Nigeria Health Watch has engaged Journalists in a three-day training on Strengthening Epidemic Preparedness and Response Reportage.

The event brought together media professionals from Online, TV, Radio and Print as well as stakeholders in the health sector to Abuja.

The workshop aimed to equip journalists with the needed information to report stories bothering on health security, especially in the area of epidemic prevention, response and funding.

The Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, said Journalists have an essential voice in reporting infectious disease outbreaks in Nigeria.

She reiterated that “effective health communication is an integral part of health security, especially in epidemic preparedness and response.”

The Director, National Reference Laboratory, Mrs Olajumoke Babatunde reiterated the organisation’s determination to safeguard the health of Nigerians.

Mrs Babatunde said; “We are doing a lot to ensure we protect the health of Nigerians in terms of disease outbreak confirmation, surveillance, and response activities.”

She said; “Funding at all levels is crucial in health security especially when it comes to epidemic prevention and response. The lesson derived from the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that when it comes to an epidemic, it is not necessary if it happens. Therefore, the government at all levels must play a more active role in funding the health sector.”

The three-day event also included visits to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, the Nigeria Research Laboratory and the National Biosafety Management Agency, where journalists saw how the organisations handle health security, especially in the areas of surveillance, prevention and response to the epidemic in Nigeria.

Mercy Chukwudiebere