By Tina George, Minna
Journalists in Niger have been tasked to undertake more reporting around vaccines in order to address the distrust and lack of confidence surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines in the state.
This was the crux of the one day workshop for journalists organized by the Technology and Development Research Network, TEDREN, of Federal University of Technology, FUT, Minna and Media Mentors Network in Minna on Wednesday.
The Niger state Immunization Officer, Abubakar Kpantu stated that the media could help in addressing vaccine hesitancy in the state.
According to him, there is the refusal of the vaccine among the target groups for phase 1, saying “even among the health workers, some are still scared of taking the vaccine. We are facing refusal of the vaccine in the state”.
He appealed to the media to do more in creating awareness about the vaccine, adding that people do not know about the phases of the COVID-19 vaccination.
Kpantu further said that journalists could help in addressing the increasing level of misinformation about the vaccine.
“We did not collect the vaccine to keep it but for use and the people, especially the frontline workers need to know that there is a vaccine for them to take. To do that, we need you, the media. You are the ones that will help us to sell the commodity. We need more reportage about COVID-19 vaccine in the state”, he stated.
The Coordinator of TEDREN, Professor Nicholas Iwokwagh stated that journalists were critical in maintaining vaccine confidence in the state.
He took the participants on the ‘essentials of vaccine reporting’, explaining the various ways in reporting vaccines and issues surrounding vaccines and the skills needed in vaccines reporting.
He explained that the workshop is meant to equip journalists and media professionals with the knowledge and skills required to report vaccines accurately.
The Coordinator urged journalists and media practitioners to take vaccines reporting very serious as their roles as educators in the state is very important.
In her presentation on “Communicating Facts about Vaccines”, Data/Investigative Journalist, Justina Asishana observed that people were already showing hesitancy to the COVID-19 vaccine, stressing that It is important for journalists to shed light on the issue and educate the public about it.
“To do this, it is important to communicate the facts about the COVID-19 vaccines”, she stated while giving various tips on communicating facts about vaccines.
