Health
Analysis: From Chance To Choice, Sojo 3.0 Shaping Health Reporting
By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
For six days in Benin, no fewer than 20 journalists set out to do more than report problems. They went to investigate solutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Solutions Journalism Field Trip 3.0, held from July 26 to July 31, was organised by Nigeria Health Watch and MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices.
The programme brought journalists into Edo communities, Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), and training rooms to learn how to report on what works in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Family Planning.
The goal, according to organisers, was to equip journalists with the tools to tell evidence-based stories that can influence public conversation and policy.
Mrs Olubunmi Oyebanji, Senior Health Editor, Nigeria Health Watch, said journalists, in order to unearth success stories in sexual and reproductive health, need to ask deeper questions such as which facilities went a full year without a stockout, and how?
She also remarked that journalists must refrain from framing Family Planning as a “women-and-NGO story”, but should see it from the lens of a funding, supply chain and governance story.
Another gap, she identified, is the over-reliance on official voices while ignoring frontline actors such as Community Health Extension Workers, Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors, and even clients.
On how solution journalism drives action, Oyebanji said “It does not claim that things are fine”.
“Instead it shows who did what, with what resources, under whose leadership, with what evidence and what limitations?” she said.
She also emphasised that programmes that worked in sexual and reproductive health delivery could also target routine areas like logistics, data and supervision; not only messaging.
Oyebanji stressed that demand creation without supply readiness would fuel mistrust.
“For example, sending a woman to a facility with no family planning commodity will cost you her return visit,” she said.
She added that adolescent uptake only rises when services are co-designed with young people rather than for them, and when provider bias is treated as a clinical failing, not a personality trait.
Oyebanji identified time and money as the main constraints because solutions reporting needs field visits and data.
She advised media houses to co-publish or partner with implementing organisations to share costs.
While remarking that editors mistake solutions journalism for Public Relations, she stressed the need to train editors and sub-editors, not only reporters.
She stressed that improving Family Planning and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) uptake in Edo and Nigeria at large requires fixing supply, respecting clients and funding services domestically.
“Above all, a released state budget line outlasts any donor project. We need to take domestic funding seriously,” she said.
Mrs Omeche Enemaku, Regional Manager, MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices, South-South, said significant investment went into the fellowship.
“From expert facilitators and field visits to mentoring and editorial support.
“We are confident that you now have the knowledge and skills needed to produce compelling stories that can influence public conversation around family planning and sexual and reproductive health in Nigeria.
“As you begin writing, we encourage you to ensure that your story reflects the quality of the training and the investment made in your story development,” Enemaku said.
Mr Muhammed Ozigi, popularly called Ziggis, a Participant and class governor of Sojo 3.0, said the programme was an eye opener.
“It has made some life changing impact in my perception of female reproductive health and how much is being done by MSI about this.
“Also career wise, Solution journalism has opened a new pathway for me,” he said.
Another Participant, Raphael Obasiohia said the field trip deepened his understanding.
“Being in the communities and hearing directly from women, men, health workers and community leaders gave me a deeper appreciation of what it means to investigate responses, not just report problems.
“It reminded me that behind every statistic are real people whose experiences can help us understand both what is working and what still needs to improve,” he said.
As both a journalist and an educator, he plans to organise step-down sessions in his newsroom and with teachers and students.
“I believe the real impact of this programme will be seen when the knowledge continues to spread beyond those of us who participated,” he said.
For Odunola Owolabi, the training was practical.
“It has broadened my understanding of Solutions Journalism by showing how to move beyond reporting problems to critically examining effective, evidence-based responses,” she said.
As the 20 fellows return to their newsrooms, the challenge now is to turn what they saw in Edo into stories that will not just show the gaps, but the responses filling them.(NANFeatures)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
***If used, please credit the Writer and News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)***
