Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged journalists to be sensitive about their safety and public health concerns in their coverage and reportage of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
WHO Health Emergencies Communication Officer Chima Onuekwe, at a presentation at a one-day media workshop on reporting COVID-19 pandemic for journalists in Borno, urged media personnel to be conscious of building the confidence of the people during public health emergency situations rather than dwelling on figures alone.
“We must understand that journalists, like public health workers, are in the business of saving lives. We must do a risk assessment of our reportage. We must understand that people need education, knowledge about the disease and confidence that they could overcome the current situation,” he said.
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He explained that journalists must understand the feeling of the people and how anxious they could be in a health emergency situation. He said journalists ought to douse tensions and not push out figures of mortality or affected persons without considering the feelings of the people.
“Oftentimes, the public is detached from the figures we present because it doesn’t directly affect them. They only get connected with our story when we give them information on what they could do to protect themselves or confidence they could get treated,” he disclosed.
Speaking on reporting the COVID-19 pandemic from a development communication perspective, Dr Musa Abdullahi of the University of Maiduguri canvassed for sensitivity in reportage of public health emergencies.
He said journalists ought to report the pandemic in a manner that would help society overcome the challenges associated with it. He also urged reporters on the field to be conscious regarding their safety by wearing protective materials like face mask, hand gloves and maintaining social distancing.
No fewer than 50 journalists participated in the one-day training facilitated by WHO’s Northeast Office.