Opinion | The media plays an essential role in shaping Healthcare Sector

“The media is an important ally in any public health situation. It serves the role of being a source of correct information as well as an advocate for correct health behaviors. But before the media can take on that role, it needs to understand the virus, the issues surrounding it, policy and practices, and finally, recommended correct behaviors.”

The local, national and international media play a vital role as the link between health workers and the larger public. Health authorities educate and entrust the media with essential health information, which is then relayed to the public in readily accessible formats through a variety of media channels
Thus the UNICEF organization played an important role from last decades in shaping the healthcare sector strong. Recently one of the workshop of UNICEF held in Dehradun where it focused and covered the areas like the importance of public health reporting, the ethics of health journalism, understanding the basics of health related data, introduction to research methods and health reporting based on evidence.
The case study that underpinned the entire course was childhood immunisation, Covid-19 and Covid vaccines etc. With improved access to seeking and searching evidence, analysing research papers and understanding data, I hope that being as a journalism student I can better report on immunisation issues thus preventing the spread of misinformation.
In a workshop a student-centred learning and teaching was adopted using a variety of methods including lectures, small group work, case studies, assignments and feedback.
The sessions were interactive with ample opportunities for questions and discussion. A brief overview of the subject was presented. Participants learnt to read scientific papers and selected articles from the news media, and work in groups to report a story.
Over 150 media professionals from all over India attended two days workshops on evidence-based health journalism.
Journalists from Amar Ujala, The Tribune, Times Group and students from mass communication and journalism Maulana Azad National Urdu University Hyderabad, Jamia Milia Islamia and Himachal Pradesh University and RJs from private FM learnt the importance of evidence-based reporting and fact-checking in health journalism – through UNICEF’s Critical Appraisal Skills (CAS) programme.