By Michael Gwarisa
Zimbabwean journalists have launched a network of health reporters and communicators to improve coverage of health issues.
The Health Communicators Forum (HCF) is set to capacitate journalists through networking with medical and public health experts as well as other regional and international health journalist networks.
Veteran broadcaster Anna Miti, who is also the Forum’s interim chairperson said the HCF was already a member of other health journalists’ networks in the region such as the Health Journalists Network Uganda (HEJNU) and the Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (Mesha) from Kenya and another network in Zambia.
“The reason why we are having such a forum is because we do understand that as much as we have journalists who are practicing journalism traditionally and who write health stories, it is not everybody who has enough capacity to do that,” Miti said.
“So one of our objectives is to capacitate journalists through networking with people like researchers, funders and even health and other scientists, who then help up us to understand science and health issues better.
She said the network would also bring health advocates, who work in communities on board so as to enrich and improve the quality of health reporting.
Miti is deputised by Njabulo Ncube while Catherine Murombedzi is secretary-general and is deputised by Ropafadzo Mapimhidze.
The board also has members from other provinces such as Mutare, Masvingo, Midlands and Matabeleland. — Health Times