The media have an important role in raising the profile of palliative care, especially as a human right. Effective use of the media is a critical tool that PCAU has taken on to use to raise awareness about palliative care in Uganda.
As such, PCAU, with the support of APCA, organised a sensitisation workshop that was attended by a total of 14 participants. These included editors and journalists, and specifically those reporting on health issues.
The objectives of the workshop were to provide palliative care information to the journalists and media houses and to build networks and collaborations to ensure successful coverage of palliative care in the media to help raise awareness.
The journalists were introduced to concepts around palliative care including why it is a human right. They also enhanced their understanding of the palliative care services provision in Uganda.
The media houses that were represented included television companies such as UBC, Top TV, NBS TV, Urban TV, Record TV and Bukedde TV, print media such as the newspapers the New Vision and the Observer, and also radio stations including Sanyu FM, Radio Phaidha, Top Radio, Radio Simba, Star FM, and KFM/Ddembe radio.
The workshop was a great success. Some of the key outputs of the workshop included:
- Journalists interviewed Ms. Rose Kiwanuka, Country Director PCAU, and the interview was played to a wide audience on the air waves of Uganda’s national and regional radio and TV.
- PCAU committed to involve Journalist in future activities to enable them collect enough information for publicity.
- Some Media Houses will consider offering free airtime for palliative care program airing
Overall, the journalist participation will ensure that palliative care gains more airtime, space in newspapers and TV airtime and this will help raise awareness around important palliative care issues. `
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This article was first published on the PCAU website and this edited version is published with their permission.
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