Journalists call for help with Ebola sensitisation

Journalists have called on the Ministry of Health, the National Ebola Response Team and other stakeholders to help the media to effectively educate the public on the Ebola disease.

The journalists who represented about 60 radio stations, made the call after a two-day programme organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), World Health Organisation, with support from STAR- Ghana and the Norwegian Government to equip them with knowledge on the Ebola disease.

Rikke Jansen, Programme Officer in charge of MFWA’s Media and Ebola Project, said: “Radio stations are the main source of information in all communities, particularly in rural areas.

“Since public access to timely and accurate information on Ebola is crucial for the fight against Ebola, we deem it important to empower radio stations across the country to support ongoing Ebola public education efforts in the country.”

A statement issued after the programme stressed the need for citizens to be well-informed and educated on the Ebola disease to keep the nation prepared in case of an outbreak.

It said even though journalists would do their best to inform and educate the public on the Ebola disease, the National Ebola Response Team and all agencies under the Health Ministry should partner with the media to enhance the process.

The statement recommended the provision of timely and reliable information by the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to radio stations or to the MFWA’s Ebola information centre for dissemination to the public.