National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTBCP) says there is need for increased awareness about Tuberculosis (TB) so that people in the country should know what is required to prevent TB.
On Thursday, NTBCP held a meeting with journalists in Salima where issues were tackled focusing much on how the media can help in the reduction of TB cases in Malawi.
Speaking after the meeting, National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTBCP) Community Mobilization and Engagement Officer Beatrice Mtotha Nindi said they organised the meeting to equip Journalists with different skills on how they can disseminate information about TB and also share ideas with experts from different health departments as well as mining on issues pertaining TB reduction in Malawi.
“Most Malawians rely on media professionals on information that they hear whether it is politics or health, so if people hear from media professionals they can believe on whatever we do and say at the National TB program and also knowing that most of the media houses have wider coverage we know using our media professionals they can reach out to so many Malawians in so doing we can have reduction in TB cases in Malawi, ” said Nindi.
During the meeting, updates where shared on how NTBCP is fighting TB in Malawi and how they are working towards the reduction of TB cases in Malawi.
Media practitioners also shared ideas on how they can work towards reduction of TB cases and they also shared experiences on what they found on the ground as they have been going to fields.
One of the media practitioners who attended the meeting Luke Chimwaza from Radio Maria Malawi, said he has benefited a lot from the meeting and that he will use the skills and information he got from this meeting when writing TB stories and also producing TB programs.
“In a very special way this meeting has benefited me in a number of ways, firstly considering the fact that NTBCP brings together groups of people, Journalists and experts from NTB district TB officers and also department of mines and other offices. So, this is a rare opportunity whereby we have ability to interact with people and find out how department of mines is working in eradicating TB and how TB officers are working in dealing with communities,” he said.
