BY ADEBAYO AKANJI, BAUCHI – Members of Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), a media group covering the health sector in Bauchi State have been challenged on effective and sustainable reportage of health-related issues in the State.
The Bauchi State Director of USAID-funded Integrated Health Program (IHP), Dr Siaka Alhassan, who threw the challenge during a 2-day Workplan development meeting held at Chartwell Hotel in Misau on Tuesday, June 21, said their contributions to the growth and development of the State’s health sector were well acknowledged.
He praised members of J4PD, recently registered as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), for their committed work in reporting on the health sector, which ranks among the delicate areas of journalism practice.
Noting that health reporting is all about humanitarian services to the public, Dr Alhassan said their efforts have been noted by USAID through the leadership of IHP and urged the group to focus more on investigative health journalism.
Alhassan, represented by the Director of Finance and Administration of IHP, Daniel Yerima, however, urged the body to explore more sources of funding in handling their programmes and activities, stressing the need to partner with relevant donor agencies to expand their horizons of sponsorship and funding.
The State Director stressed the need for J4PD to develop an implementable work plan in order to attract partnership and funding.
In her remarks, the Coordinator of J4PD, Ms Elizabeth Kah applauded USAID IHP for training members of the NGO on the rudiments of health journalism which is a specialized area of their profession.
She particularly appreciated USAID IHP for supporting and facilitating the work plan development meeting saying that it will put the NGO on a firm footing for increasing coverage of the health sector in Bauchi State.
The J4PD Coordinator charged members to actively participate in the work plan development in order to have a starting point for operation as well as ensure the NGO wins partnerships and collaborations with implementing partners
