By Matiffi Ngwira
Ministry of Health and Goal Malawi have high expectations toward online news reporters following a two day training workshop held in Zomba.
The Health Ministry and the development partner are currently engaging in the fight against misinformation surrounding COVID 19 vaccine.
According to Health Coordinator for Goal Malawi, Ronnex Chalwita, reporters are key players in spreading awareness on the COVID 19 vaccine at a time when there is so much misinformation on the matter.
“Media platforms such as online are very vital sources of information regarding the covid19 vaccine from various channels for example influential leaders. People read a lot of content online and this is a great opportunity to engage people who have false information on COVID 19.” Lonnex Chalwita explains to Prime Time News.
Chrissy Banda is Blantyre District Health Office Spokesperson is strongly of the view that online journalists are key features in dealing with misinformation concerning COVID 19 vaccine, which spreads rapidly on online sites across the web.
The training workshop was from 26th to 27th October 2021.
This was an open opportunity to journalists to have knowledge imparted upon them amid the need to have precise information on covid-19 vaccine.
Glory Msowoya, is one of the reporters who has been a part of the workshop and says: “I now have knowledge on how to come up with the right information as needed from the communities we reach out to as writers.”
“One of the key points in communicating with online readers is the use of feedback to get deeper understanding of issues from relevant sources” Msowoya says.
However from the discussions held at the workshop, there are key messages that are deemed vital for public knowledge such as knowing that the vaccine is an additional measure to the already existing procedures such as washing hands with soap, social distancing and wearing face masks.
Secondly the vaccine reduces severe sickness and the risk of death and last but not least the vaccine is administered using a syringe jab on the arm.
The event attracted participants from Blantyre, Mangochi and Dowa under the auspices of Goal Malawi in collaboration with Trocaire with funding from the European Union.
