SOUTH SUDAN: Doctor Tells Journalists to Report Accurately about C0vid-19
Ibasi Patricia Tobs-Torit
Report accurate information about Coronavirus pandemic, Dr Changa Thomas Augustine of Torit State Hospital told journalists during a two-day training on Covid-19, Gender-Based Violence and Road Safety organized by Radio Emmanuel.
He said there are so many Covid-19 sources of up-to-date data and journalists should be careful when getting information from websites about Coronavirus.
Dr Changa pointed out that getting inaccurate information will mislead and create panic to the public
“I would like to tell the journalists who have attended today’s training that it is really very important that you have been here to understood what C0VID-19 is. It is high time you use the right words in reporting to the people. Again, I would like to tell you that there are many sources of information about Covid-19, some of those are real and others are fake. Do not accept all the information that you get on social media for some social media post information to create panic among the people. So, the best way to go is seek accurate information from credible sources and publish it accurately”, he advised.
On his part, Radio Emmanuel Station Manager Ms. Ochoo Lillian mentioned that the purpose of the training was to equip the journalists with knowledge on how to give accurate information to the public.
She added that the training was also to instruct journalists on how they can involve community on preventive measures and control on Covid-19.
“The purpose of this training as mentioned by Dr Changa is specifically to capacitate reporters and producers as well as presenters to be able to give accurate information on Covid-19 as well to engage the community in terms of preventive measures,” the manager explained.
The Covid-19, Gender-Based Violence and Road Safety program is a project funded and supported by Missio Munich.
