ManoReporters editor attends Africa CDC workshop with media executives and science journalists

By Janet Sam-Kobba

Mano Reporters editor, Kemo Cham is among African media executives and science journalists attending a workshop organized by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The two-day event, which runs from 19^th to 20^th August, 2024 in Addis Ababa, is geared towards promoting Africa CDC’s strategic communication objectives for 2024. It’s part of the agency’s regional strategic engagement with member states and stakeholders with the goal of increasing their understanding and pinpoint their role in executing the strategic plan.

Africa CDC is a specialized technical health institution of the African Union, established in 2016 by the 26^th Ordinary Assembly of Heads of State and Government. It was officially lunched one year later. It has the mandate of supporting public health initiatives of Member States and strengthen the capacity of their public health institutions to detect, prevent, control and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats as in the case of Coronavirus and other life threatening diseases. The agency also serves as a voice for Africa thereby showcasing African stories to the whole world.

The media engagement is the first ever in-person meeting between the agency and editors and science/health journalists. The event is being convened on the theme ‘Building a Strong and Effective Media Engagement Partnership for Africa CDC’.

Africa CDC’s Communication Directorate said the aim is to provide media executives with first-hand information and a comprehensive knowledge on the agency’s mandate, its vision (2023-2027) and the New Public health order. The New Public Health is designed to strengthen Africa’s public health system and enhance its readiness to address disease threats.

The overall objective of the workshop is to establish partnership and commitment with media executives in order to help push forward Africa CDC’s work and expand it visibility by accurately reporting the achievements and impact to their various audiences.