New Delhi| Sandeep Dwivedi
Journalists are now set to spread awareness about the Immunization programme. The first-of-its-kind ‘Critical Appraisal Skills’ (CASP) course certificate in Public Health Journalism and Communication, was awarded to 40 budding media professionals from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication on Monday.
The course is a skill-building initiative for media professionals, and offers a unique opportunity to specialize in evidence-based reportage on public health issues. The programme framed by UNICEF India, promoted and supported under the Government of India’ mission Indradhanush programme.
Speaking at the award ceremony Dr. Pradeep Haldar, Deputy Commissioner, Immunisation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, “India’s Universal Immunization Programme is one of the largest immunization programmes in the world and a major public health intervention in the country. For spreading awareness journalist will also play a main role through such courses. It’s a unique opportunity to specialise in evidence-based reportage on public health issues.
Our focus is to give maximum protection to the children against Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) through Mission Indradhanush. These life-saving vaccines will not only improve the health of our children but also reduce hospitalization and other conditions associated with VPDs among children, thereby reducing the health cost burden of the country” Haldar added.
‘Critical Appraisal Skills’ (CASP) course certificate in Public Health Journalism and Communication programme will enable media students to write more substantively on public health issues said K.G. Suresh, Director General, IIMC(Indian Institute of Mass Communication)
Further he said “This sensitisation of media students and journalists is important and the students who have completed this course can show their expertise in covering the particular health beat.
Soon IIMC will engage with such more programmes specific on agriculture, sports, lifestyle and many more other subjects which would help our students in campus selection for different media houses Suresh said while talking with Health Live. So when IIMC was chosen to do the pilot for the programme, we gladly accepted to co-create and manage this pilot project with UNICEF and with other international and national partners he added.
Speaking at the event Sunil Arora, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said, “It is important to build skills of media professionals, especially media students, as it would have a visionary impact on reportage leading to more evidence-based coverage of crucial subjects such as public health and related development issues.”
UNICEF Country Representative Louis-Georges Arsenault, said “Our consultations with media and journalism schools across the country gave us key insights on the need to make a valuable yet simple course which enables a scientific and evidence-based approach to reporting public health issues, especially those concerning child survival.”
The evaluation of the programme showcased how overall more than 90% of the students found the course experience to be satisfactory and highlighted key learning which will help to make the course content more robust. The course, currently offered to public health professionals in the UK.
Conceptualised by UNICEF, the CASP was designed in partnership with the University of Oxford, Thomson Reuters Foundation, George Institute of Global Health (GIGH) and adapted by IIMC in India.
IIMC customized and piloted the course at its campus in Delhi, over a period of three months.
