A PREMIUM TIMES’ journalist, Nike Adebowale-Tambe, and 39 other journalists from different African countries have been selected to cover the 3rd International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) in Lusaka, Zambia.
Mrs Tambe, a senior reporter on PREMIUM TIMES’ development desk, has written extensively about health and has been commended for her work on the issues.
According to the list published on CPHIA2023 official website, Mrs Adebowale-Tambe is one of four Nigerian journalists selected to cover the high-level event in Zambia and also participate in a six-month fellowship programme.
Other selected Nigerian journalists are Lara Adejoro, The Punch newspaper; Thelma Thoma-Abeku, Nigeria Health Watch, and Rahma Jimoh, Al Jazeera Nigeria.
Other fellows are from Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Gambia, Cote d’ Ivoire, Eswatini, Liberia, Tunisia, Congo, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Egypt, and South Africa, among others.
“The 40 fellows were chosen from a pool of more than 800 applicants, through a rigorous and competitive selection process. Fellows were chosen based on their compelling submissions and commitment to elevating public health reporting on the continent,” the organisers said.
About CPHIA 23
CPHIA is an annual conference organised by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The conference provides a unique African-led platform for leaders across the continent to reflect on lessons learned in health and science and align on a way forward for creating more resilient health systems.
This year’s conference, themed: “Breaking Barriers: Repositioning Africa in the Global Health Architecture” will hold in Lusaka, Zambia from 27 to 30 Novemberto showcase new and exciting scientific discoveries.
Journalism Fellowship Programme
The Africa CDC said media plays a significant role in global health, from reporting on public health emergencies and challenges to getting public health messages to the communities.
“Recognising the importance of media in shaping public health discourse and imparting critical information to the African people, the Africa CDC has built on the media fellowship programmes for CPHIA 2021 and CPHIA 2022 to establish the CPHIA 2023 Journalism fellowship programme,” the health body said.
It noted that through the six-month programme, journalists will have the opportunity to receive training on scientific writing and communication, participate in conference sessions, gain first-hand knowledge of health challenges and innovations on the continent, interact with leading stakeholders in the health sector, and provide in-depth reportage of new research findings, scientific breakthroughs, and key takeaways from the conference.
“The aim of the fellowship is to build a cohort of journalists across the continent with skills in the nuances of health reporting, which is expected to enhance public health discourse, promote knowledge dissemination, and strengthen accountability for health policies and programmes.”
The Director, Institute of Health Research and Co-chair of CPHIA 2023, Margaret Gyapong, implored the fellows to utilise the opportunity the fellowship will provide to develop skills and networks that will advance their work, improve coverage of public health issues across the continent, and help achieve the new public health order.’
The Head of Policy, Health Diplomacy and Communication at Africa CDC, Benjamin Djoudalbaye, said the programme was borne out of the desire to build a network of specialist health reporters who understand the importance of public health communications.
Mr Djoudalbaye said the organisation looks forward to supporting the inaugural fellows over the next six months and beyond to improve their skills and report on significant public health challenges, solutions and innovations in Africa.’
The CPHIA Journalism Fellowship Programme will be delivered in partnership with AllAfrica.com, one of the official media partners for CPHIA 2023.
The Managing Editor at AllAfrica.com, Juanita Williams, said the programme has been designed to provide critical skills to the fellows through training, mentorship, and on-the-ground experience.
Ms Williams said: “We have taken into account the needs and challenges of public health reporting on the continent, and have developed the fellowship curriculum to address the gaps and challenges that many health reporters face.
“We look forward to undergoing this journey with the fellows and supporting them during and after the fellowship.”
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