“Research-based knowledge is a crucial component in policy design and decision making. It enables us to think of practical actions and increases awareness among general people who can force decision-makers to implement the appropriate policies… The findings of public health research should be made available to the general people. “  Rumana Huque, Executive Director, ARK Foundation

“Our findings are showing that people living in slums go through a lot to get quality healthcare. They depend on traditional healers, birth attendants, patent medicine vendors, bone setters etc, and the primary healthcare facilities close to them could be ignored for many reasons… The public should know these things – why the primary healthcare facilities are not doing well and what can be done to help those living in slums have access to quality healthcare. We have the evidence, but we know with the media we can put them out there for everyone to see, and for the policy makers to take urgent and sustainable actions” Professor Chinyere Mbachu, Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria.

Journalists and the media are critical partners in the dissemination of health research. The media has significant influence over how people form opinions on health issues and plays an important role in creating mass awareness – as evident during COVID-19, as well as immunisation family planning, and other health campaigns.

CHORUS has identified the media as a key urban health stakeholder, for its potential ability to advocate on the key urban health issues such as the vast health inequities, access to quality services, increasing NCD rates, and the financial burden of health expenditure for poor urban residents. By increasing awareness of these complex effects of rapid urbanisation, the media can constructively support efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and improve health outcomes of the poorest populations.

If we can work closely with the media to communicate important health research and evidence to the public, we can increase social accountability and bring policy issues into the public domain.

Between March and August 2023, CHORUS teams in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria and Ghana organised workshops for national and local journalists and media professionals, with the aim to:

Generate interest and awareness of urban health issues and policies amongst journalists and media professionals.

Strengthen the capacity of journalists to report on the key urban health issues for effective advocacy.

Explore the barriers and challenges faced by journalists in reporting health research, and work collaboratively to help overcome them.

Develop informal networks of journalists to build sustained rapport and a community of health reporters, with whom evidence can be shared and communicated for policy impact.

These workshops were the beginning of a closer working relationship with media professionals, for continued collaboration and partnership.