Journalists in Douala and Maroua Improve their Skills on Health Reporting

ARS speaker Robert Enteen in Maroua “good health reporting” can save lives. [U.S. Embassy Yaoundé Photo]

A  total of 55 Cameroonian journalists learned advanced  health reporting techniques at two  seminars in Douala and Maroua  held  January 5-11.  The participants included representatives of broadcast and print media.  At Maroua, there was heavy participation by community radio stations from throughout the northern regions.   Each three-day seminar focused on health issues, reporting techniques, and heath information resources for journalists.   Expert speaker Robert Enteen, Ph.D gave hands-on training on how journalists can cover and deal with health issues in their newsrooms.  Participants also shared best practices and created a list of topics they believe should be reported by the media in order to stem epidemics.  They hoped reporting on these topics would help sensitize public officials on the need to bring medical care closer to the community.  

At each seminar, a local medical expert briefed participants on regional health issues.  Adding an element of realism, both also submitted to mock interviews by the participants.   Bakary Galdima, a participant in the Maroua seminar, declared that this was the “best ever seminar” he has attended because it was “practical, full of resources and straight to the point.”  One participant in Douala said how “amazed she was by the world of knowledge and skills a seminar of this nature can provide.”

Opening the Douala seminar, Public Affairs Officer Matthew Mc Keever reminded the participants of the importance the U.S Embassy places on media training. The Embassy organized these two training seminars to help the media better handle and prioritize health topics in print, radio, TV and online journalism.  He reiterated the mission’s commitment to continue building the capacity of media practitioners in various subjects.  During the opening ceremony in Maroua, the Ministry of Communication regional delegate said the seminar is a great initiative and comes at a timely period when the Ministry of Health is carrying out an immunization campaign to stop spread of poliomyelitis in the region.  He added that the role of the media is crucial in sensitizing the public on health related topics.