A three-day workshop on polio reporting was held on September 5 – 7 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Thirty-five journalists from Pakistan and Afghanistan attended the training. Participants included 12 reporters from each — VOA Deewa – Pakistan and VOA Afghanistan, and 11 reporters were from Radio Mashaal, Radio Azadi and from other local media outlets in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The goal of the training was to enhance journalists’ knowledge about the disease, polio eradication efforts in the Af-Pak region and across the globe, and improve skills in reporting about polio related issues.
VOA Ashna’s Ibrahim Nasar and VOA Deewa’s Iftikhar Hussain coordinated and moderated the training. UNICEF, WHO and CDC staff were invited to talk to the training participants.
The training agenda included expert presentations and discussions on comprehensive response to polio outbreak and the role of journalists in raising public awareness of the polio vaccine effectiveness. Other activities included interactive exercises and hands-on activities in best practices in reporting about polio.