Bulacan conducts seminar-workshop on health news reporting

CITY OF MALOLOS – To enhance the appreciation of Bulacan-based media practitioners on reporting health and wellness issues, the Provincial Government of Bulacan through the Provincial Public Affairs Office conducted a Seminar-Workshop on Health News Reporting held at Sitio Lucia Garden Resort Hotel and Training Center in Santa Maria, Bulacan yesterday.

Award winning broadcast journalist and health advocate Cheryl Cosim-Alvarez served as one of the resource speakers and discussed the challenges in reporting complex health issues including the need to make them interesting and the dangers of sensationalized coverages.

“If you don’t have a full assurance to receive health care benefits from your company, don’t do risky health coverage. Sometimes, journalists forget to take care of themselves just to have a story. Huwag nating pabayaan ang ating mga sarili. Dapat alam din natin kung mapapahamak ba tayo or hindi,” said Cosim-Alvarez.

She also discussed some good points to remember in writing an effective health news report without jeopardizing one’s safety during coverages.
Prior to this, Department of Health Region III Medical Specialists and Malaria Coordinators Dr. Rhodora Cruz and Dr. Eloisa Vidar also provided the Bulacan-based media practitioners with information regarding diseases included in Millennium Development Goal #6 like tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, malaria, dengue, rabies and leprosy.

They also reported the status of Central Luzon with regard to combating diseases included in MDG #6.

“Nakakatuwa na naisakatuparan ng provincial government ang ganitong seminar at workshop dahil alam natin kung gaano kalaki ang role ng media in information dissemination. This is the first time na hindi kami ang nag-initiate to have this kind of seminar. I commend the PGB and the Provincial Public Affairs Office for their initiative. With this, media can report important things like the status of our health cases in Central Luzon,” said Dr. Cruz.

They also gave the participants an opportunity to assess the health situation in their communities and what they can do to help improve the health services in their vicinity.

Meanwhile, Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said the seminar-workshop was a great help to the media practitioners because they did not only learn additional information, they were also reminded that no matter how big the news is, their safety should always come first.