AFRO-NETS> New media facilities spark interest in science-based approach to development reporting

[Laids Shokunbi <mracnigeria@yahoo.com>]

New media facilities spark interest in science-based approach to development reporting
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Development Communications Network officially opened three facili-
ties, the Media Resource and Advocacy Centre (MRAC), the Computer 
(Internet) Clubhouse (CIC) and the Popline Support Centre (PSC), on 
February 25, 2003 to provide information and resource materials on 
science and health related issues, primarily for journalists use. 

Since the formal opening there have been interactive opportunities 
between journalists and medical researchers, scientists, youths and 
health care professionals who use the resources. At the moment about 
15 users are received daily at the facilities with a growing interest 
in in-depth reporting of the scientific basis of key health issues.

Specifically, the facilities were set up to serve as a medium through 
which journalists could sharpen their skills and expand their knowl-
edge in reporting science and health-related issues. They also pro-
vide access to requisite electronic and hard copies of over 200 sci-
entific journals for students, and other researchers.

Mr. Finjap Njinga, Director, United Nations Information Centre, who 
chaired the formal opening of the facilities, commended the initia-
tive saying it was in line with the United Nations programme for de-
velopment. He said the resource center and the two other facilities 
have one of the best resource bases for accessing requisite develop-
ment information and expert lists, and its existence interprets the 
slogan ?think global act local?. Njinga noted that the work of MRAC 
contributes towards breaking the barrier of science that has shrouded 
health issues and opening up for people to acquire information and 
share them.

The Media Resource and Advocacy Centre established in 1999, is one of 
the organization?s operational strategies to promote health communi-
cation and science journalism in Nigeria. The Center offers other 
services including:

* Application assistance to mid ­career journalists seeking fellow-
  ships and awards from internationally recognized organizations.
* Training on vital issues, particularly technical areas of science, 
  health, technology, environment etc.
* Access to reproductive health data bank, science experts, and Demo-
  graphic and vital health statistics, and other services that improve 
  scientific information flow to journalists and the general public.
* Media for Development Forum- a regular interaction between journal-
  ists, scientists and NGO activities for briefings on breakthroughs 
  and new information in health.
* ?Unreported Development?: a publication detailing developments and 
  unusual occurrences in the hard-to-reach communities in Nigeria and 
  elsewhere. 

The Computer Clubhouse provides a creative learning environment for 
youths, and journalists, with integrated approach for interaction 
with NGO personnel, scientists, and researchers and students. As and 
added value educational materials on HIV/AIDS and other reproductive 
health and sexual rights issues are distributed to users of the Club-
house.

The Popline Support Centre provides information on Family Planning 
programs, Population HIV/AIDS, Fertility, Maternal and Child Health, 
and other health-related issues. It is the only comprehensive inter-
national database in the field containing materials gathered around 
the World. It contains more than 300,000 citations with detailed ab-
stracts and in-depth indexing.

All these were put in place to help build capacity of journalists in 
order to explore new ideas, develop skills and build confidence to 
face the challenges of the new media and technology. The chairman of 
the organizations Board of Trustees, Olusoga Sofola, a professor of 
medical physiology and former provost of the College of Medicine Uni-
versity of Lagos Nigeria, challenged journalists to promote programs 
that could guarantee the lives of individuals from any adverse conse-
quence.

He said journalists should be advocates with requisite strategies to 
shift the focus of the public from the disease conditions to condi-
tions of disease. Journalists, he said, needed to subscribe to the 
fact that public health problems are socially and culturally con-
ceived and it is important to deal with these in our day-to-day ac-
tivities.

Participants in Attendance 
Over 100 people attended the program. They comprised representatives 
of various media houses, non-governmental organizations and donor 
agencies. Notable among them were the following:

Media Houses 
*Sunday Champion 
*Thisday newspaper 
*The Guardian 
*New Nigerian 
*Tribune 
*The Comet 
*Vanguard 
*BusinessDay 
*Post Express 
*TELL Magazine 
*Daily Independent 
*The Punch 
*News Agency of Nigeria 
*Nigerian Television Authority 
*Minaj Broadcast International 
*Voice of Nigeria 
*Voice of America

NGOs/Agencies 
*Inter African committee (IAC) 
*Network for Adolescents and Youth of Africa 
*SWAAN 
*United Nations Information Centre 
*Nigeria Youths AIDS Program (NYAP) 
*Community Life Project 
*Human Support Services 
*Hope Worldwide 
*JHU/CCP 
*Action Health Inc. 
*AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria 
*AED/SMARTWORK 
*Lagos State AIDS Control Agency 
*Pathfinder International 
*Youth Action Rangers of Nigeria

Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian media, Sola Ogundipe Health Editor 
for Vanguard Newspapers commended the organization for setting up the 
facilities to aid journalistic work in the country. He said the media 
has a role to play as regards stemming the tide of HIV/AIDS pandemic, 
which is influencing policymakers, making them give more priority at-
tention to all reproductive health issues.

Mr. Ogundipe implored the press to make the best use of the facili-
ties at MRAC?s disposal. ?If we can all use the resources at the re-
source center, the sky will not just be our limit, but the starting 
point?, he concluded. 

In her goodwill message, Edem Patricia Effiong of NYAP praised MRAC 
for its remarkable achievements in so short a time. She recalled the 
period during which NGOs always found it difficult in working effec-
tively with the media in getting their activities and messages across 
to the general public. But since the establishment of MRAC light now 
seems to have been found at the end of the tunnel. She encouraged her 
colleague in the NGO sector to identify with MRAC in seeking informa-
tion so as to expand their knowledge on reproductive health, and have 
a good and understanding working relationship with the media. 

Representing the Pathfinder International, Ngozi Enelamah expressed 
joy over the provision of the facilities describing it as innovative. 
According to her, journalists need to be more trained and equipped 
with modern technological tools for them to be able to discharge 
their social responsibilities. She implored all and sundry, not just 
journalists, to cultivate the habit of seeking information that could 
enhance health development that MRAC provides. 

The scaling up of the facilities, establishment of the Computer 
(Internet) Clubhouse and most of the services at MRAC are implemented 
with support from the Ford Foundation, West Africa Office. The Johns 
Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programs (Population In-
formation Program) supports the Popline Support Centre.

Development Communications Network is a media- based, non-
governmental, not for profit organization that is being coordinated 
by experienced development journalists. The organization is a product 
of series of development projects on health promotion, advocacy and 
capacity building in the Nigerian mass media and the NGO sector from 
1995 to date. 

Laids Shokunbi
Coordinator
Media Resource and Advocacy Centre (MRAC)
mailto:mracnigeria@yahoo.com

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