Sundaymail Editor
Phillipa Mukome-Chinhoi
Journalists from various media houses were last week equipped with information and tools to help them enrich their skills when reporting on health issues, in particular infertility and diabetes.
Over 30 Zimbabwean journalists attended a half-day online training, hosted by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who is Zimbabwe’s Ambassador of Merck More than a Mother, in partnership with Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany.
Merck Foundation CEO, who is also president of Merck More than a Mother, Dr Rasha Kelej emphasised that training journalists was important adding she strongly believes that the media plays a significant role to influence society to create a cultural shift.
“The media has the capacity and ability to break the stigma around infertility in the community,” she said.
Dr Kelej, said infertility was high in Africa.
“Infertility has a very high incidence in Africa, one in every four couples are having infertility and more than 85 percent or from 75 to 85 percent as of the latest research can be prevented because its due to untreated infections and diseases which comes from child marriages, unsafe abortions, unsafe deliveries, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), female genital mutilation (FGM) among other issues.”
Dr Pasca Chiwanda, a physician at Sally Mugabe Hospital, who is also a Merck Foundation Alumini from Zimbabwe, said the media was crucial in that it provided an important link between people living in rural areas and vital health information. He said it was important to responsibly report accurate health and science information to the public.
A consultant obstetrician, also a Merck Foundation Alumini from Zimbabwe, Dr Mugove Madziyire, told journalists how infertility affects men and women equally.
He said infertility was not a mark of shame, emphasising there was no need of stigmatising couples.
“In Africa, the main purpose of marriage is procreation and if a marriage fails to produce a child, then there tends to be a problem in that relationship.
“Infertility affects both males and females and the most common infection that affects both the female and male reproductive system is chlamydia and gonorrhoea and these are often asymptomatic and one of the partners might not exhibit a symptom at all,” he said.
Speaking at the training, Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) Secretary General, Mr Perfect Hlongwane, said the media should be the advocate for change, demystify myths and misconceptions around infertility.
He added that the media should provide platforms for debates and expand the public sphere for the grassroots.
“The media has a major role to play in disseminating information which is authentic to the people. This helps communities to make sense of the world and their surroundings hence building trust among them.
“The media should be the watchdog, as a go between the grassroots communities and their authorities,” he added.
He also said the media should be a voice of the voiceless and stand up for the marginalised constituencies for example young girls and stigmatised childless couples.
“Case studies showing success stories and cases of resilience by survivors would also help to proffer solutions,” he said.
During the training, journalists also got in-depth information on infertility, stigma, girls’ education, child marriages, gender based violence (GBV), female genital mutilation (FGM) and diabetes.
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter