Rotary equips Gombe journalists for solution-based RMNCH coverage
From Hajara Usman, Gombe
Rotary International, through its Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria project, has trained journalists in Gombe State on solution-focused reporting for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH),
Our correspondent reports that, the training aimed at boosting healthcare service use and reducing maternal and child deaths.
Also,the theme of the training was “From Problems to Solutions: Reporting for Impact,” and it covered solution-based storytelling, data journalism, forecasting, finding information from different sources, and using mobile journalism (MOJO) tools for effective field reporting.
Mr. Toyosi Adebambo, Rotary’s RMNCH Project Manager, said the workshop was designed to help journalists inspire positive change by showing the impact of interventions, rather than only pointing out shortcomings.
He urged them to raise awareness about the free maternal and child health services available in 27 supported facilities across Gombe, Kaltungo, and Yamaltu Deba LGAs.
Adebambo,stressed that accurate figures, human stories, and collaboration with government officials in reporting can build public trust and encourage service uptake.
He also highlighted the importance of recognising healthcare workers to boost morale and improve service delivery.
Mrs.Grace Mabudi, Gombe State Child Spacing Coordinator, shared RMNCH statistics, noting progress but warning that maternal and child mortality rates remain high. She called for stronger public awareness campaigns and more government support to address these challenges.
Mrs. Comfort Mukollo, a facilitator and deputy general manager of news and current affairs at Gombe Media Corporation, taught participants about the four pillars of solutions journalism, response, insight, evidence, and limitations.
She cautioned that focusing only on problems can cause people to lose interest and encouraged ethical, culturally sensitive reporting that connects with local communities.
