By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel
In the wake of health crises and misinformation, the Country Representative, World Health Organization, WHO, Doctor Walter Kazadi Mulombo urged journalists to prioritize truth and accuracy in their health reporting.
Mulombo emphasized the crucial role of journalists in promoting public health awareness through accurate reporting.
He made this known during WHO health journalist capacity building workshop with the theme: Empowering journalist to drive the change narrative with compelling data-driven health stories
The country representative informed that the world has indeed changed, and the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, are more crucial now than ever. With only 17% of targets on track, it’s clear that global challenges like economic downturns, COVID-19, climate change, and humanitarian crises are hindering progress.
He said, the challenges to overcome involved global economic downturn, donor countries are increasingly looking inward, relying on domestic resources. Climate Change has been a pressing issue requiring collective action, and conflicts, poverty, and inequality demand urgent attention, saying news and epidemics spread quickly, undermining progress.
“Despite these challenges, there’s hope. The United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future endorse collective action. The UN Secretary-General emphasizes that past policies won’t build the future; we need innovative solutions.
According to him, as critical partners, journalists must report responsibly, considering the consequences of their words. With misinformation spreading rapidly, especially during crises like COVID-19, fact-based reporting is vital. Journalists serve as the interface between organizations and communities, providing reliable information to combat misinformation.
As a country representing almost a third of the African continent, Nigeria plays a crucial role in achieving the SDGs. With one in five black people worldwide being Nigerian, the country’s progress will significantly impact global development.
“Let’s work together to address these challenges and create a better future”.
He said, as an organization, we recognize our role as a working force to serve the community. We believe that you, as journalists, play a critical role in helping us understand how our policies impact those we serve.
“I am happy to announce that our colleagues have organized this event to facilitate collaboration between our organizations. We have different clusters working together to achieve common goals. I expect more collaboration, particularly around: Vaccine education, campaigns we want to engage with you on discussions about the impact of vaccines in Nigeria”.
He also noted that vaccines are safe and undergo rigorous testing by global health authorities before approval. Vaccination is a human right, and spreading misinformation or preventing access to vaccines can have severe consequences, including human rights violations.
“We will collaborate to dispense accurate information to fight misinformation and promote sustainable development by 2030”.
