NGOs ramp up media advocacy for women’s health reporting

The Center for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), in conjunction with Pathfinder International, has trained journalists on new and emerging trends in reporting women’s health.

The training focused majorly on maternal health, especially ante-natal care, and why effective media advocacy can help to close gaps in its availability and accessibility.

Technical Advisor of CCSI Oluyemi Abodunrin noted that the training was to build the capacity of journalists so they can better report women’s health in Lagos.

He said: “After this training, we expect journalists to intensify reports on women’s health in Lagos State. And as we talk to journalists, we also talk to the government to do the right thing. It is good that we have government officials at the training, so they can see journalists as partners in progress, and journalists can see government as a veritable tool for their news, and then they can work together.”

Senior Program Advisor at Pathfinder International, Dr. Sakina Bello, said the training was important because journalists need to be abreast of new and emerging trends in reporting women’s health.

According to her, Pathfinder is working under the umbrella of women’s health to hold integrated advocacy programmes by picking key indicators that really matter in women’s health.

She said: “Though we want to integrate, but we also have to look at key indicators that can make or mar health outcomes for women, and that was why we picked Ante-Natal Care (ANC) coverage because it is expected that if a woman attends full ante-natal, any potential problem will be detected before delivery. If a woman also delivers with a skilled birth attendant, or in a facility, the likelihood of her survival is improved. We also know that family planning reduces maternal mortality by almost 40 per cent.

“So, basically, we are doing this media advocacy to actualise improved women’s health. Advocacy works wonders, and it is a critical part of this project. We hope that after this training, there will be reports that will lead to a better maternal and newborn health policies, as well as funding, to achieve a healthier generation of women in Lagos.”

Coordinator of Reproductive Health in the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Victoria Omoera, noted that the government is working to promote women’s health in Lagos.

According to her, female healthcare providers comprise a significant number of the health workforce. This, she said, was a deliberate effort to give women more confidence in the health sector.

She added that certain laws and policies have also been put in place to protect women’s health. Such laws include ‘Lagos health Scheme Self-care Policy, ‘Safe motherhood strategies, blood transfusion, health financing policy and mental health’.

“There is the self-care guidelines for sexual and reproductive health. It’s a relatively new document and so we are currently domesticating it to suit our realities in Lagos, and hope to launch that document on May 30.

“We do not have all the answers, so we always work with groups and form strong partnerships within our technical working groups. But, unfortunately, the number of health workers leaving the country for greener pastures is so high. Even with the replacement policy, health workers in Lagos are overstretched.”

There are currently 329 primary health centers, 28 secondary healthcare facilities, and five tertiary health facilities in Lagos.