A Professor of Parasitology and Immunology at the University of Yaounde, Cameroun, Professor Rose Gana Fomban Leke, has advocated the need to train journalists in scientific reporting to enable them to drive the needed change in the society.

She said the media had a crucial role in the elimination of infectious diseases from the African Continent because “they have a large audience and, therefore, have the potential to drive behavioural change.”

Speaking on the first day of the Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorial Lecture at the University of Ghana, Professor Leke said the media could help to advocate increased funding and also contribute to the dissemination of successful interventions in a region.

She was speaking on the topic, “Eliminating infectious diseases: The remaining challenges.”

Effect of negative reportage

Professor Leke pointed out however, that negative reporting by the media had negative impacts.

“We all know that bad news travels fast, and rumours can be very damaging, especially when elimination efforts require collective activity,” Prof. Leke said.

She cited an instance when media reports in the UK that immunisation with the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine caused autism led to the resurgence of measles in that country.

Professor Leke also said at least 65 per cent of the deaths in Africa were attributable to infectious diseases and cited some major diseases plaguing and eliminating precious resources in the continent as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections and conditions such as malnutrition and political instability.