In a collaborative effort, the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) recently held a workshop aimed at strengthening journalists’ skills in covering healthcare issues at the community level. This initiative is part of the Community Scorecard (CSC) project, which evaluates local healthcare services to identify gaps between community expectations and healthcare delivery.

The two-day workshop, themed “Effective Use of Media to Scale Up Universal Health Coverage,” focused on equipping journalists with tools to monitor and report on healthcare delivery across Ghana. Dr. Charity Binka, Executive Director of AMMREN, emphasized the media’s vital role in giving communities a voice and holding healthcare providers accountable. She pointed out that while achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) remains a priority, Ghana continues to face challenges in meeting this goal. According to Dr. Binka, informed journalists play a crucial role in educating the public and advocating for improvements in health services.

Dr. Andrew Ayim, Deputy Director for Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at GHS, highlighted the impact of media in shaping public perceptions about healthcare. He noted that the CSC initiative empowers journalists to bridge communication gaps between communities and the healthcare system, fostering transparency and accountability.

With new skills from the workshop, journalists are expected to engage their audiences on healthcare accountability, promoting a more responsive and effective health system in Ghana.

Source:TheDotNews