The International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) in partnership with EngenderHealth, conducted a training for Media Personnel to deepen their understanding of the health policy landscape for effective reporting in Kano and Kaduna states.
The training which took place from May 6th -8th, 2025 in Kano state and 15th -17th, 2025 in Kaduna state respectively had in attendance a total of 25 journalists from Kano and 19 journalists from Kaduna states respectively drawn from the electronic (both TV and radio), print and online media. They were trained on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child and Adolescents Health (RAMNCAH) policy, Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) policy, PHC political agenda, and contributory health insurance scheme in the two states.
Also in attendance were directors from MDAs of the two states, representatives of the consortium partners such as ISMPH, EngenderHealth, Gates Foundation, CCSI and LESDEL.

The trainings were declared opened by the Commissioners of Health in the two states who described the journalists as partners in development and challenged them to always see their roles as agenda setters for the government and the public.
In his words, the Commissioner for Health in Kano state, Dr. Abubakar L. Yusuf said:

“the training was timely because it was important to make the media understand the importance of policies being implemented by the government, more so that you are the gatekeepers between the government and the people.”

He therefore challenged them to always ensure objectivity in their reportage so as to create the necessary awareness on key policies of the government.

While on her part, the Commissioner of health in Kaduna state, Hajiya Umma Ahmed commended EngenderHealth and the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) for their thoughtfulness in coming up with the training. According to her, “the media is an important ally in our drive towards achieving good health outcomes for our people. It is therefore a fact that, we as government cannot do it alone. Someone recently told me that Kaduna state is doing excellently well but we are not telling our story to the world”.

The three – day training ended in the two states with a commitment by the participants to form groups of health reporters that would ensure adequate coverage of the health sector in the states. Action plans were subsequently developed in order to sustain their engagements