ADRAP Disease Reporting Fellowship for African Journalists

The ADRAP Disease Reporting Fellowship for African Journalists is a comprehensive six-week program aimed at enhancing the reporting skills of journalists covering health and related topics in Africa.

Aims

• The hands-on Fellowship program is specifically designed for early to mid-career journalists, particularly those reporting on health topics in Africa. The program has a two-fold objective:
  • Firstly, it aims to eliminate biases often associated with disease reporting in Africa. To achieve this, the program focuses on building the capacity of African journalists to identify and report on diseases and health issues from well-informed perspectives.
  • Secondly, the program is meticulously structured to bridge the knowledge gap in health reporting. It accomplishes this by providing selected participants with exposure to the latest tools and techniques for in-depth reporting on various aspects of health, including social aspects of diseases, scientific developments, management strategies, policies, research focus, and more, all from an African perspective.

Benefits

• During the program, participants will engage with scientists, experienced journalists, and health experts through practical training sessions. These sessions go beyond the basics of journalism, communications, and global health reporting, preparing journalists to disseminate information across various media platforms, including print, online, broadcast, social, and digital media.
• To facilitate their participation, each fellow will receive a modest stipend to cover travel expenses and accommodation. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be awarded a certificate, acknowledging their achievement and commitment to advancing health reporting in Africa.

Duration

• 3 Months (Online, with one-week in-person event in Abuja)

Program Scope and Components

• Week Zero (Virtual)
  • Two (2) weeks before commencement of programme
• Week 1: Introduction to Health Journalism (Virtual)
  • Unit 1: Foundations of Health Journalism
  • Unit 2: Health Literacy, Research and Disease Reporting
• Week 2: Focus on Africa’s Critical Health Issues (Virtual)
  • Unit 1: Fellows share and discuss stories (drafts) with assigned mentors
  • Unit 2: Discussion to focus on Contextual Reporting of epidemics and pandemics in Africa  (COVID-19 case study)
  • Unit 3: Reporting emerging infectious and non-communicable diseases in Africa (Focus on Ebola and Post – partum hemorrhage)
• Week 3: Focus on Spotlight on Specific Diseases and Critical Health Issues (Virtual)
  • Unit 1: Malaria in Africa – The unresolved and emerging issues.
  • Unit 2: Growing incidence of Hypertension in Africa – The underlying and emerging challenges.
• Week 4: Spotlight on Specific Diseases and Critical Health Issues (Virtual)
  • Unit 1: TB – The issues, the gaps, the media coverage, etc.
  • Unit 2: Metabolic Diseases in Africa – the Case of Diabetes.
  • Unit 3: Traditional, Complementary and Alternative medicine as the emerging and prevalent alternative in Disease management in Africa
• Week 5: Reporting Techniques (Virtual)
  • Unit 1: Relevance of Data Journalism in Disease Reporting
  • Unit 2: Multimedia and Storytelling
• Week 6: Face-to-Face meeting in Abuja, Nigeria (Physical)
  • Day 1: Arrival (Sunday) – Fellows welcome Dinner with ADRAP CEO, facilitators, partners, etc. for familiarization
  • Day 2: Monday – Keynote speakers addresses major health topics
  • Day 3: Hospital Management of Diseases in Africa
  • Day 4: Traditional Medicine – Emerging trends and prospects for disease control in Africa
  • Day 5: Visits to Institute for Human Virology in Nigeria (IHVN) and Port Health (Airport)
  • Day 6: Final Graduation and presentation of Projects synopsis by Fellows
  • Day 7: Departure

Expected Outcomes

• A minimum of 10 journalists from across Africa are empowered through the program.
• Over 60 stories are produced and published/broadcast on various platforms across the continent during and after the fellowship period.
• Fellows become members of a robust network of journalists reporting on diseases across Africa.
• Fellows will have to access wide array of resources and opportunities to further enhance their reporting skills.

Eligibility Criteria

• Any journalist reporting on health and related topics from Africa is invited to apply for the fellowship.
• They encourage passionate journalists to seize this opportunity and showcase their dedication to advancing health reporting in Africa.
• Curating and organizing content for publication.
• Enhancing the overall quality and readability of the content.
• Collaborating with writers and contributors to improve their work.
• Fact-checking and verifying information before publication.
• Business Development tasks encompass
  • Systematically mapping and establishing connections with global health organizations in Africa.
  • Organizing online events as needed to support the project objectives.
  • Conducting targeted outreach to global health academics outside of Africa.
  • Developing e-books and posters when required to disseminate information effectively.
  • Engaging in the preparation and development of grant proposals to secure funding for the project.
• Skills required
  • Scientific Literacy: Understanding and translating complex medical concepts into accessible language.
  • Research Skills: Conducting thorough and reliable research on health-related topics.
  • Cultural Sensitivity: Being respectful and aware of cultural differences when reporting on health issues in various regions.
  • Interviewing Skills: Conducting effective interviews with experts and stakeholders for valuable insights.
  • Data Journalism: Proficiency in analyzing and visualizing health-related statistics and trends.
  • Ethical Reporting: Adhering to ethical guidelines and privacy considerations when reporting on sensitive health issues.
• Others
  • Proficiency in web skills, including content management systems and social media platforms.
  • A fundamental understanding of the newsletter economy.
  • Critical thinking abilities, and having a sense of humor will be considered an added advantage.

For more information, visit ADRAP.