CCPP signs MoU with two news channels

ISLAMABAD: In a major move to increase public health reporting, Center for Communication Programmes Pakistan (CCPP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two leading private news channels to launch the first health bulletin of the country.

The inauguration of the bulletin is a part of a larger initiative called Empowerment, Voice and Accountability for Better Health and Nutrition (EVA-BHN), which is a five-year project for amplifying citizens’ voices for their health rights. EVA-BHN is being implemented through a consortium comprising of CCPP and Palladium Pakistan. CCPP works globally for improving lives through strategic communication and Palladium is an international development management firm, partnering with institutions, governments, and businesses worldwide to improve people’s quality of life.

With the launch of the health bulletin, the project aims to regularise the dissemination of health content for the citizens of Pakistan. Being a country of 200 million people, it is also home to a large public health system. The bulletin will inform for timely actions to improve health service delivery and behaviours. Media engagement and training is a strategic component of EVA-BHN, which aims to bring forth citizens’ demands, highlight health issues and increase knowledge on health. Speaking on the occasion, Atif Ikram Butt said that there was a need to trigger a national discourse on the need for better health and take necessary actions to ensure it.

In the era of information, effective health communications play a pivotal role in the field of health. The media representatives were oriented how this initiative will regularise health reporting in Pakistan, since the share of voice of health issues is quite low on mainstream news channels. Issues discussed and portrayed on electronic media gain limelight and evoke response from the citizens, policy and decision makers as well. From preventive measures to be taken against a health issue, to reporting the flaws of the public health facilities, from raising awareness about a healthy/unhealthy practice to finding local solutions to health problems, information in general, and TV information in particular is key in timely dissemination of important health content. The bulletin will have the capacity to report most relevant health news on regular basis.

The gathering also featured the contributions of CEJ IBA Karachi to the initiative, which is a strategic partner of CCPP in EVA-BHN. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Fayaz Ahmed the Team Lead of EVA-BHN, said that he was positive that the launch of the health bulletin will create a positive impact in the lives of ordinary people.—PR