Strengthening the role of journalists in promoting primary health care in the CIS
WHO
To enhance the role of the media in promoting primary health care, WHO data specialists, health economists and researchers delivered a 2-day workshop to 22 journalists and media experts from 5 countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan.
The training took place on 23–24 August 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care organized the event in the lead-up to the Global Conference on Primary Health Care, to be held on 25–26 October 2018 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Participants received foundational material on primary health care, including its evolution and history and its central role in delivering universal health coverage. The group discussed ways to target public and political opinion on primary health care, and its current and future role.
Sessions on data, story development and visuals provided pointers on how to access and read data on primary health care, on data sources and their reliability and limitations, and on the most meaningful indicators. An overview of primary health care in participants’ countries and success stories in the WHO European Region helped answer country-specific questions on the provision of primary health care as well as challenges and areas for improvement.
Media representatives worked in groups to identify ways to map existing problems, define audiences, and find the right medium and angle to deliver messages to advocate for change.
Material from the training will create a foundation for other such events in the future.
