ZNFPC needs US$70 000 to revive studio

ZNFPC’s director technical services, Dr Edmore Munongo, said the recording studio stopped operating because the broadcasting equipment was obsolete and archaic.
The studio is still equipped with analogue when systems everywhere are now digitalised.
Dr Munongo said a meaningful financial investment was needed to re-equip the television studio and its control room, film editing facilities, resuscitate radio studio and its control room.
“The studios at ZNFPC have not been operating due to the fact that from commissioning in 1989 there was no meaningful investment in terms of equipment given the rapid technological advancement in broadcasting industry,” Dr Munongo said.
ZNFPC recording studio was used as a medium to raise awareness and understanding of health issues in Zimbabwe.
Then, health related radio and television serial dramas, sports and other health programmes were produced for ZBC by the ZNFPC unit.
Dr Munongo said the information disseminated contributed greatly in the increase of Zimbabwe’s contraceptive prevalence rate, which stood at around 59 percent and decrease of total fertility rate from 5,4 in 1988 to 3,8 in 2005.
“Currently preventable, treatable and manageable diseases are claiming lives due to limited knowledge by the general public,” said Dr Munongo.
“Cancers of the reproductive system, for example are easily preventable but are claiming lives, which could have been spared if necessary information about these killer diseases were packaged and disseminated.”
He said the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare recently availed funding for procurement of an air-conditioning plant.
The plant was installed in March 2011 and is now functional.
Currently, the Government subsidiary is developing business proposals to approach financial institutions for further funding.
Dr Munongo said ZNFPC’s vision was to be a one-stop shop for health information.
He said this would be possible through documentation of best practices and disease outbreaks for the national health delivery system.
“Offering documentary and news services for local and international audiences will be an added benefit to the health delivery system,” he said.
The recording studio, also known as the AudioVisual Unit facility, was primarily constructed for the production of information, education and communication materials to strengthen knowledge and communication skills of health service.