AFRO-NETS> Capacity building of health reporters in Nigeria

[A Odutola <chpss_abo@yahoo.com>]

Capacity building of health reporters in Nigeria
------------------------------------------------

Dear All,

In line with its objective of building capacity in communication for 
social change, the Centre for Health Policy and Strategic Studies 
(CHPSS) - a Lagos Nigeria based private 'think tank' in health - re-
cently concluded a three-session training programme on the 'Use of 
the Internet in health resourcing' for members of the Health Communi-
cators Forum. The Forum is a body made up of health reporters and 
correspondents working in major media organisations in Nigeria.

Training objectives were to: 
a) increase the awareness of participants in the incredible poten-
   tials of the Internet as a resource for health information; 
b) train participants in practical techniques of web surfing and e-
   mailing for purposes of gathering and disseminating health informa-
   tion; and 
c) motivate participants to use the Internet as a source for personal 
   and public health empowerment.

Most participants came into the programme with very little knowledge 
of Internet usage. At the end of the programme however, participants 
were able to: 

a) use Internet gateways, directories and search engines to source 
   information from health websites; 
b) use certain defined criteria to assess the credibility and reli-
   ability of information available from the Internet; and 
c) join health Listservs for purposes of using e-mail in getting and 
   disseminating information.

The programme is to be replicated in other states of Nigeria and pro-
gramme alumni are to enjoy free access to the Internet for health re-
sourcing courtesy of the Centre.

O.S. ABodunrin 
Public Affairs Officer 
CHPSS 
mailto:chpss_abo@yahoo.com

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