Press ReleasesInternews and UNICEF Create Training Manual for Avian Influenza Reporting
(July 26, 2007) Do pigeons carry and spread avian influenza viruses in nature? Which religious practice in Hong Kong could be halted if there were a renewed scare of avian influenza? Why do children account for about half of all reported human cases and one third of deaths from avian influenza? These are some of the issues suggested for discussion in a trainer’s manual (PDF), created by Internews and funded by UNICEF, for designing and conducting media workshops on avian influenza. The manual is the final phase of the Equipping Journalists for Accurate Reporting on Avian Influenza and the H5N1 Virus in Southeast Asia project conducted by Internews to ensure that those in the front line of public communication – health journalists – have adequate tools to report the threat of avian influenza. It covers all the basic resources that media need to know when trying to promote awareness and discussion about the virus. The project included a series of in-country trainings in Vietnam, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, and Thailand, with twelve to fifteen journalists from print, radio, and television, participating in three-day sessions. The trainings included field trips to actual outbreak sites, lectures, and practical exercises. They covered best practices in health reporting and reviewed materials from United Nations-sponsored avian influenza awareness campaigns. The trainings provided access to accurate, up-to-date information on avian influenza, taught safety precautions to reporters who might be exposed to contaminated areas and improved the technical skills needed to report on this complex and rapidly evolving situation. The manual was developed as the result of these trainings and other Internews avian influenza trainings in Indonesia. It provides an overview of avian influenza, how to prepare for a workshop, and a three-day training curriculum for the workshop. "This manual will be useful for trainers working with journalists," said Internews lead trainer Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan. "Working in partnership with veterinary and public health officials, journalists will be made aware that they can communicate correct information about avian influenza in simple but powerful messages. At the end of the day it’s all about saving lives.” The project is an ongoing initiative that targets countries that are particularly vulnerable to avian flu outbreaks. Building on Internews’ experience in health journalism and reporting emergencies, the program has created a training curriculum that is tailored to address the specific needs of each country in which it is conducted. Internews' program on Equipping Journalists for Accurate Reporting on Avian Influenza and the H5N1 Virus in Southeast Asia was made possible by a grant from UNICEF regional office in Bangkok, with support from the Government of Japan, and in collaboration with UNICEF teams in each country. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Kathleen Reen, Internews Network Vice President for Asia, Environment and New Media A Training Manual for Media Workshops on Avian Influenza (PDF), by Internews Network |
|
||
