Journalists urged to champion nutrition and public health advocacy – Nsemkeka
The Dean of the Fred N. Binka School of Public Health and Principal Investigator of the Nkabom Project, Prof. Frank Baiden, has urged journalists to use their platforms to influence public perception and drive national conversations on nutrition and public health.
He made the call during a training session for journalists from the Volta and Oti Regions, held at the S5 Hotel in Hohoe, under the Nkabom Collaboration.
Prof. Baiden emphasised that nutrition must no longer be sidelined in national discourse, highlighting its long-term impact on health outcomes.
“We can not continue to put off the issue of nutrition,” he stated. “It is something we only begin to appreciate when we are older and realise that our current state is built on a foundation of what we have been eating all these years — and sometimes, that realization comes too late.”
He lauded the journalists for their participation in the training, especially those who had the opportunity to visit local schools and observe how innovative farming techniques — including school vegetable gardens and nurseries — are changing the face of nutrition and education.
He noted how small financial investments had yielded significant transformations in school environments and how initiatives showcased during the project’s entrepreneurship fair had inspired industry players.
“Some of these initiatives started almost accidentally, yet they are now transforming lives,” he added, recalling an encounter with a top vegetable exporter in West Africa who shared his humble beginnings at the fair.
Prof. Baiden stressed the importance of building a sustainable platform that would empower journalists to keep nutrition and public health at the forefront of the national agenda.
“You have the ability to influence how we think — and that’s a great strength,” he said. “What people believe in, what motivates them, and how they act can be shaped by what they read, see, and hear from the media.”
He revealed that McGill University, which houses the Nkabom Secretariat, immediately endorsed the idea of involving the media when informed about the training.
The international coordinator of the project, he said, was highly enthusiastic and encouraged the team to ensure its success.
Prof. Baiden concluded by proposing the formation of a network of journalists to sustain the momentum.
“Should it be part of an existing structure or a new, local platform with its own identity? That is a discussion I would like you to lead,” he told the journalists, calling on Prof. Dr. Bicha to assist in facilitating the formation of the network and guiding the development of a program of activities to empower journalists.
The Nkabom Collaboration is an initiative aimed at improving nutrition and health outcomes in Ghana through multi-sectoral partnerships, education, and community empowerment.