In many developing countries there is a lack of understanding about diabetes, including among journalists. Yet the media can play a significant role in raising awareness. The World Diabetes Foundation has recently embarked on a pilot project to strengthen media reporting through capacity building of journalists and key stakeholders in Kenya.
Journalists have the ability to provide their audience with potentially life-saving information if they possess the knowledge and understanding of how to communicate about diabetes effectively. Few journalists in Kenya are trained in reporting on diabetes issues. This leaves many Kenyans – especially those not reached by mainstream media – unaware of the diabetes epidemic, its symptoms, the consequences of inadequate treatment and how to prevent developing this disease.
In May 2012, WDF, International Media Support (IMS) and the Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre (DMI Centre) began a collaborative pilot project to strengthen diabetes-related reporting in Kenya. The partnership with IMS is a milestone achievement. The project provides an innovative media platform for professional journalists in Kenya and related media stakeholders to communicate debates and news feeds related to diabetes.
IMS has experience in working with humanitarian information globally and supports local media in countries affected by armed conflict, human insecurity and political transition. “We are very excited to be partnering with WDF. Our experience in countries such as Zimbabwe, where we have been supporting capacity building for humanitarian reporting and to cover humanitarian affairs can be applied to strengthen knowledge on reporting about diabetes in Kenya,” says Mr. Finn Rasmussen, Director of Development at IMS.
In order to improve communication it is of utmost importance that journalists and diabetes stakeholders exchange experiences. Therefore, as part of the pilot project, journalists were educated on diabetes and trained in how to report on the issue. At the same time, health care personnel, health economists and employees responsible for implementing health care programmes and non-government organisations (NGOs) were taught how to effectively engage with journalists and present the information in a relevant and comprehensive manner.
The media workshop created an opportunity to network with members of the media profession and to gain insights into how the media works in Kenya and the possibilities of partnership to raise awareness on diabetes. The workshop and capacity building component helped establish crucial links and boosted knowledge and understanding around diabetes.
New technology is increasingly gaining ground and momentum in Kenya. The project has therefore explored the potential of new media platforms as a means to improve health communications and report outside mainstream media channels. To this end, stakeholders from diabetes clinics were trained in virtual reporting tools to ensure that locally-relevant diabetes information is made available for journalists. “Using virtual reporting tools will sustain media attention and help journalists know where to find relevant information. Specific data, such as an awareness event, training or screening camps, can also be built in to tag these themes,” explains Mr. Finn Rasmussen.
The project implemented an SMS-based and virtual mapping system for local media and health clinics in order to be able to communicate with relevant local populations. A website was set up and integrated with the SMS system. Furthermore, the website hosted blogs and articles.
“In Kenya many patients seek medical treatment when they have already developed diabetes complications and are dealing with the stigma around it. This partly explains an overwhelming response from subscribers who sent queries via SMS, asking for advice on diabetes risk factors and complications,” explains Dr. Catherine Karekezi, Medical Director and Project Coordinator at DMI Centre - which was one of the implementing partners of the pilot project.
According to Dr Karekezi, the project achieved 3,162 subscribers in a three month-period surpassing the target of 2,000 subscribers. “This is a testimony of the yearning for information on diabetes in Kenya, and it shows that this is a sustainable pilot model worth scaling up and replicating elsewhere in other remote parts of Kenya,” she says.
The project aims at contributing to the prevention and control of diabetes as defined by the National Diabetes Strategy adopted by the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation in Kenya. WDF is supporting the Ministry in rolling out the National Diabetes Programme.
Disseminating key messages on diabetes prevention and care for people living in local communities through mobilisation of media news streams is of paramount importance because of the generally low level of awareness. There is a need for people to be involved in community-centred advocacy, to understand and influence the local debate and to address issues related to diabetes care.
Strategic alliances formed during the project amongst local ministries of health, diabetes associations and journalist associations will help to ensure local ownership of the project and to be anchored into the National Diabetes Programme. In addition, the training is intended to form a basis for a ‘trainers of trainers’ principle and the journalist training curricula will be transferred to Kenyatta University after the project ends.
• Training of 20 journalists representing different media and based in diverse regions around Kenya received training on diabetes related communication.• 10 health care workers and officials, including head nurses and nutritionists representing 8 clinics, and representatives of DMI Centre, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, the Kenya Defeat Diabetes Association, the Kenya Nutritionist and Dieticians Institute and IMS also took part in the workshop.• The training included diabetes related communication and reporting and new media outreach using mobile phone technology.• An SMS-based and virtual mapping system was established in order to strengthen the clinics and health care staff to communicate with the public audience.• 8 local diabetes clinics were trained in using new media tools.• Toolkit for journalists to cover diabetes and related issues were developed and distributed.• Manual for virtual platform and SMS modem was established.• 35 articles, blog posts and TV and Radio Broadcasts were published as part of the project pilot.