UNICEF held a health reporting workshop at Pvt university
UNICEF put its concern over Health reporting while laying down parameters over Critical Appraisal skills that could help health reporters in telling their stories to mass in a better fruitful way. Stressing on Measles Rubella Immunisation and its reporting, Vigyan Prasar came forward to make reporters understand how society need positive reporting on the same. I presence of Vikram Gokhle, Veteran Actor, the course, designed with a special focus on immunization as one of the most cost effective means to reduce child mortality. It was shared with science writers, journalists and film makers attending the 9th National Science Film Festival of India at private university.
The ceremony was presided by Dr. Veena Dhawan, Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Maternal Health), Mr. Nimish Kapoor, Scientist E, Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Shri Sanjay Abhigyan, Convergence Editor, Amar Ujala and Shri Pankaj Pachauri, Editor, GoNEWS. Acclaimed science and health filmmakers and health reporters from media were also present at the ceremony.
Critical Appraisal Skills workshop engages working correspondents from media covering public health and related issues. The objective of these workshops is to provide an evidence-based framework to editorial teams and their mentors on the need to critically appraise public health-related information.
UNICEF in partnership with University of Oxford, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and The Reuters Foundation conceptualised and developed the Critical Appraisal Skills (CAS) syllabus for working journalists, senior correspondents, faculty and students of media studies.
The CAS syllabus is being offered by University of Oxford to public health professionals in the UK and has been adapted for Indian media professionals and students in 2015-16.