Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the support of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), organised a two-day workshop for health beat reporters of Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on the role of media in polio eradication here at a local hotel.
The workshop focused on orienting the participants with increased programmatic knowledge and sensitising them on how to accurately report polio eradication efforts, counter misinformation and negative propaganda, enabling them to understand the significance of polio eradication and their critical role in achieving it.
The workshop was presided over jointly by Additional Secretary Health/EOC Coordinator Shafiullah Khan and President Peshawar Press Club M. Riaz. Participants of the session included 25 health beat reporters of print and electronic media channels, senior journalists, bureau chiefs of various media channels, cabinet members of PPC, Ex-President PPC Arshad Aziz Malik, media representatives of CM House, the Health Minister’s Office and the Information Department of KP, each on the first and second day. The session was also attended by Deputy Coordinator EOC Latif ur Rahman, partners representatives and EOC officials.
Addressing the workshop, Additional Secretary Health/EOC Coordinator, said that the entire administrative machinery, law enforcement agencies and health department officials are actively involved in polio eradication efforts; however, the government machinery cannot tackle this challenge alone and it needs across the board support from all segments of society including media. Highlighting the critical role of media in polio eradication, he said that through their effective reporting, journalists can play a key role in creating awareness and changing perceptions of the people adding that Journalists can play a significant role in creating awareness among the people about the significance of polio vaccination & essential immunization, removing the existing myths and misconceptions that prevent the parents from vaccinating their children as well as highlighting the commitment and resolve of the government to eradicate vaccine preventable diseases including polio from the country forever.
In his technical presentation on polio eradication, Dr. Sardar Alam, Provincial Polio Eradication Officer, WHO, focused on explaining communicable and non-communicable diseases, essential immunisation program, the origin of polio virus, its epidemiology, different types of polio virus and vaccines as well as the significance of polio eradication through regular polio vaccination. He also discussed theDr. Sardar Alam sought media support in building community trust and changing the perception of the people towards vaccine acceptability so that this virus may be wiped out from the last endemic zone.
Shadab Younas, Communication Officer UNICEF, while taking a session on external communications, focused on the significance of proper health reporting, explaining that effective health reporting is essential for maintaining and improving public health. Referring to polio reporting, she explained that polio reporting requires special skills and technical knowledge and stressed on the participants to master their skills to ensure effective reporting. She appealed to the media to convince the people who are hesitant towards polio vaccination through their effective human angle stories, developing documentaries and bringing forth neutral and trusted voices to change the perception of the people.
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Senior journalist and trainer, Saeed Minhas, guided the participants on how to develop effective stories for print and electronic media which may touch the feelings of their respective audience and lead to a change in positive behaviours towards public health.
Addressing the concluding session, M. Riaz, President Peshawar Press Club, thanked EOC and UNICEF for organising the workshop for health beat reporters. Referring to the support of media for the national cause of polio eradication, he said that the presence of senior journalists, cabinet members of the press club and a large number of health beat reporters of print and electronic media outlets is a reflection of our support for this national cause. On behalf of the press club, he offered full support to the program for securing the future of our children from this crippling disease.
The workshop proved to be a very insightful and interactive session, and the participants suggested valuable inputs to further improve polio eradication efforts and ensure the eradication of this crippling disease once and for all.
The session concluded with the distribution of shields and certificates among the participants.
