The International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), through its Kano State Office, has successfully harmonized health reporters across Kano State under a unified network aimed at strengthening public health communication and promoting accurate, ethical, and evidence-based reporting of health-related issues.
The harmonization meeting, held on Saturday at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, brought together journalists, media practitioners, health communicators, and key stakeholders from the health and development sectors to foster collaboration and enhance the quality of health reporting in the state.
Participants included representatives of CCSI, Lisdel, CHAI, KanSLAM, Public Relations Officers from the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA), the Kano State Ministry of Health, media organizations, and other development partners.
Speaking at the event, Hajiya Sabuwa Yahaya, Kano State Lead of ISMPH, described the harmonization as a strategic initiative designed to build a stronger and more coordinated network of health reporters capable of delivering factual, timely, and impactful health stories.
She stressed the importance of collaboration between the media and health stakeholders in advancing public health objectives and ensuring that citizens have access to credible health information.
In his remarks, Mr. Solomon, an ISMPH representative from Abuja, commended the commitment demonstrated by participants and emphasized the vital role of the media in shaping public understanding of health issues.
He noted that the unified platform would facilitate continuous capacity building, professional networking, and coordinated reporting on priority health programs and interventions.
As part of the program, the Public Relations Officer of KSCHMA, Aminu Ahmad Turaki, ANIPR, presented an overview of the Agency’s engagement with the media.
He highlighted the significance of strategic media partnerships in creating awareness about contributory healthcare, promoting public understanding of the benefits of enrolment, and supporting the Agency’s mandate of expanding access to quality, affordable, and sustainable healthcare services for the people of Kano State.
Participants underscored the indispensable role of the media in supporting public health interventions, combating misinformation, promoting positive health-seeking behaviours, and amplifying key messages on maternal and child health, routine immunization, disease prevention and control, nutrition, and contributory healthcare programs.
The meeting concluded with a collective commitment by participants to uphold professionalism, accuracy, and ethical standards in health reporting while leveraging the newly established network to strengthen public health communication and contribute to improved health outcomes across Kano State.
