Journalists have been urged to be cautious when reporting on health issues to avoid misrepresentation of facts which can also lead to panic among the citizenry.
The remarks were made in Mzuzu during a ministry of health and media interaction session with journalists under Nyika Media Club.
Alvin Phiri a senior health promotion officer with the ministry of health said currently there are a number of emerging issues in the health sector that needs the public to be made aware of and that the media is a powerful partner that can assist in disseminating information on the same.
“The health sector is very dynamic and it is very important that we engage and touch base with the media to update each other on emerging issues affecting our communities as well as interventions so that we should be on the same page when disseminating messages on such issues to affected communities,” Phiri said.
Citing Measles Rubella and Viral Conjunctivitis as examples of diseases falling under emerging issues, Phiri said the media need to ensure that only truthful information is being provided to the public saying it is through dissemination of rightful messages that the country can win the battle against such diseases.
Meanwhile, Feston Malekezo chairperson of Nyika Media Club has tipped journalists to realise that information they get from various stakeholders is provided to them on trust that it will be used diligently hence the need to ensure that such information is neither diluted nor distorted when being presented to the public.
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