By Yusuff Moseray Suma – Freetown, Sierra Leone
A two-week workshop organised by the Thomson Reuters Foundation was recently concluded in Lagos, Nigeria. The focus of the workshop was to equip journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) from across West Africa with practical skills to report more responsibly on HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.
The training, which drew participants from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, and Ghana, focused on tackling harmful stereotypes, stigma, and false information that surround those most affected by these diseases.
At the opening session, Cosmos Tabuche, a representative from the Foundation, explained the purpose of the programme:
“For far too long, we’ve seen how people most vulnerable to these diseases are mistreated or overlooked when it comes to healthcare access. This training is about breaking down those barriers.”
Reporting with Sensitivity and Depth
The sessions combined hands-on exercises with group discussions, offering guidance on how to report health stories with accuracy, empathy, and fairness. Participants explored topics such as ethical storytelling, advocacy through journalism, pitching powerful human-centred stories, and navigating digital media when reporting on public health.
The training was led by seasoned journalists, like Racheal Abujah from the News Agency of Nigeria and the BBC’s Sammy Awami, who shared real-life reporting experiences, helped participants sharpen their ideas, and provided honest feedback on their work.
Participants were encouraged to avoid sensationalism, respect the dignity of people featured in their stories, and challenge the discriminatory narratives that too often dominate coverage of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.
Beyond the Training Room: Building a Stronger Network
One of the notable outcomes of the workshop was the new relationships forged among media workers and CSO representatives. These connections are expected to help participants support each other’s work long after the training, strengthening the shared mission to improve health reporting across the region.
The sessions also examined how poor reporting can worsen stigma and how ethical journalism can instead become a tool for change. As one participant put it, “We have a responsibility to inform the public without putting vulnerable people at further risk.”
A Shift Toward More Responsible Health Coverage
The organisers hope that this training marks the beginning of more thoughtful, impactful coverage of public health issues in West Africa. Journalists and civil society advocates now return to their newsrooms and communities better equipped to highlight these issues with clarity, care, and purpose.
“In the societies we live in, discrimination and misinformation continue to be barriers to health and dignity. The hope for better lives, especially for those most affected, depends on how we choose to tell their stories,”
A participant reflected at the end of the programme.
The Thomson Reuters Foundation has reaffirmed its support for journalists and advocates in the region and says more opportunities like this are on the horizon, aimed at building a more just and informed society.
