ISMPH Trains Journalists to Tackle Maternal Mortality in Kano State

By Mustapha Salisu

The International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) has trained 25 journalists in Kano, providing them with the skills and knowledge to enhance health awareness and contribute to reducing maternal mortality while improving healthcare access throughout the state.

The three-day training brought together media professionals, health experts, and government officials to discuss health reporting challenges and collaboratively develop solutions.

Solomon Dogo, Programs Director for the International Society for Maternal and Public Health (ISMPH), recently addressed the purpose behind a specialized training aimed at improving media coverage on critical health issues in Kano State.

The initiative, which is being sponsored by Engender Health in Nigeria, has successfully trained 25 journalists to focus on vital health sectors that could drastically reduce maternal mortality in the region.

Dogo explained that ISMPH has a long history of working with journalists to enhance their reporting skills, particularly in health journalism.

He emphasized the strategic role of the media in pushing essential health information to the grassroots, ensuring that communities are well-informed about initiatives and policies that impact their well-being.

“This training is very strategic because it focuses on areas like RMNCAH (Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health), the new sector-wide approach (SWAp), and the health contributory scheme. These are technical areas that require the media to relay accurate, timely, and effective information to the public, especially on initiatives introduced by the federal government” Dogo said.

One of the key focal points of the training is to raise awareness around the health contributory scheme and its benefits. The scheme promises free financial support for women to cover the costs of Cesarean sections (C-sections) and other essential health services during childbirth. This support aims to reduce the financial barriers that many women face, making quality healthcare more accessible.

In addition to the health contributory scheme, the SWAp initiative encourages collaboration among partners to pool resources and implement activities designed to improve healthcare delivery and reduce maternal mortality.

Dogo stressed that these efforts are particularly crucial in Kano State, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in Nigeria.

“These initiatives, when fully implemented, will directly address factors contributing to high maternal mortality rates in Kano. By educating journalists, we are equipping them to communicate these changes effectively, ensuring that the information reaches those who need it the most” he noted.

While addressing participants, the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, highlighted the crucial role of the media in health communication.

“I’m genuinely pleased to be part of this training. I firmly believe in the importance of informing the informers. The media holds significant influence, and the public often accepts their reports without hesitation. This underscores the need to actively engage media professionals and ensure they fully grasp the information they relay,” he stated.

He further noted, “A media outlet can either foster peace or incite panic within just 24 hours. That’s why media practitioners bear a tremendous responsibility in safeguarding social stability and reinforcing public systems. Today’s focus is on the health sector—specifically RMNCAH, health financing, newborn health, and sector-wide approaches (SWAp)—which are all vital to improving our health outcomes.”

Also speaking at the event on behalf of the Country Director of EngenderHealth, Dr. Kabiru Atta encouraged participants to apply the insights gained from the training.

“The health sector is of utmost importance, and we remain committed to working closely with journalists to highlight success stories and publish newsletters that reflect the media’s contribution to enhancing healthcare delivery,” he said.