Journalists in Kano State have been equipped with practical skills to analyse health data and monitor the performance of primary healthcare (PHC) facilities as part of efforts to strengthen accountability and improve healthcare service delivery.
The 2 day capacity-building workshop, organised by the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), the EngenderHealth Consortium Partnership and the Unified Health Media Network, brought together selected journalists from across the state.
Speaking at the two-day training, the Executive Director of ISMPH, Dr. Moji Makanjuola, represented by the organisation’s Programme Manager, Philip Muoneke, said journalists have a critical role in ensuring transparency within Nigeria’s health sector through evidence-based reporting.
He noted that accountability in the health sector goes beyond government institutions, stressing that the media must ask critical questions, verify facts and use credible data to keep public institutions accountable for healthcare delivery.
According to him, effective health governance depends not only on the availability of reliable data but also on journalists who can interpret technical information and translate it into reports that empower citizens to demand quality healthcare services.
During the workshop journalist were introduced to the Primary Health Care Accountability Scorecards, Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) findings, the Primary Health Care Facility Assessment Tool (PHC-FAT) and healthcare financing and budget accountability frameworks.
He said the training was designed to help journalists convert complex health statistics into balanced, solution-focused stories capable of influencing policy decisions and improving service delivery across primary healthcare facilities.
“The media remains one of the strongest pillars for promoting transparency and accountability. When journalists understand health data and communicate it accurately, they help citizens make informed decisions while encouraging governments to improve health services,” she said.
Also speaking, Chairperson of the Kano Health Journalists Network (KAHJON), Comrade Hauwa Zahradeen, represented by the network’s Vice Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Adamu, described the workshop as timely, pledging the network’s commitment to promoting ethical and evidence-driven health reporting.
Representatives of the Center for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), EngenderHealth, the Leadership Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL), the Community of Practice for Citizen-Centred Service Initiative and other development partners also urged stronger collaboration between journalists and health stakeholders to promote accountability in the primary healthcare system.
The workshop, Amplify and Framing Narratives on Primary Health Care Accountability, Scorecards Using Evidence-Based Insights from Integrated Supportive Supervision and PHC Facility Assessment Tool Findings,focused on enhancing journalists’ capacity to use data to produce impactful reports capable of improving transparency, accountability and health outcomes across Kano State.
Among the participating journalists is the CEO and editor in chief of Dailyfact Nigeria an online newspaper, Ayo Adenaiye.
The journalist were engaged in group work on interpreting health sector data and developing investigative and human interests stories aimed at strengthening primary healthcare delivery across the state.
