15/07/2025
Press Release: NPHA Trains 20 Members of Health Reporters Network on Infodemic Management
Bo City, 12 July, 2025 - The National Public Health Agency (NPHA) Sierra Leone has concluded a nationwide training on Infodemic Management for health communicators, including journalists.
The six-day training, which ran from July 7th to 12th, was designed to enhance participants’ understanding of misinformation and disinformation, among various forms of information disorder related to public health. The training also equipped the participants with effective communication skills to promote dissemination of accurate health information.
The training was conducted in three separate sessions in the regional capitals of Port Loko, Makeni and Bo. Almost 70 people, representing all 16 districts of the country, attended the sessions which entailed presentations, discussions, group work and role plays, all geared towards strengthening their capacity to combat infodemic and ultimately supporting the national health communication efforts and fostering trust in verified health messages.
Among the participants were 20 members of the Health Reporters Network Sierra Leone (HRN-SL), as well as representatives from the national One Health Platform, including social mobilization focal persons from the Ministry of Health, who also serve as Risk Communication Leads at the District Health Management Teams (DHMT) and district agricultural officers.
Infodemic is described as an excessive amount of information on an issue, with the effect that achieving solution is made more difficult.
The training was conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. UNICEF provided both financial and technical support, while Africa CDC provided technical support. It was convened in the context of public health emergencies, particularly the ongoing continental Mpox epidemic.
Speaking at the opening session in Port Loko on Monday, July 7th, Alieu Tommy, Deputy Manager, Risk Communication and Community Engagement at the NPHA, described journalists as custodians of information and said they required adequate knowledge in dealing with the prevailing information disorder to ensure the right information is disseminated to the public.
He stated: “Journalists are the first point of call for information by the public. What we expect from the journalists after this training is an improved way of putting out verified information to the public.”
The training was held at the backdrop of escalating cases of the Mpox across Africa, with Sierra Leone identified as one of the top four most affected countries by the epidemic, according to Africa CDC data.
As of Saturday, July 12th, Sierra Leone had recorded 4,701 cumulative confirmed cases and 35 deaths, according to data from the NPHA.
The NPHA says from the onset, its response has been negatively impacted by mis and disinformation, thereby hindering public compliance to stipulated infection prevention control measures.
As part of the training, the participants were introduced to an app called the Community Listening Tool, which was designed by the NPHA with support from UNICEF, for reporting all forms of misinformation for prompt responses by relevant agencies.
The training also offered a platform for the journalists, through the HRN-SL, and the health sector partners to forge a strong collaboration going forward.
Speaking at the closing session in Bo on Saturday, July 12, Patrick Lansana, Programme Manager, Health Promotion and Risk Communication at the NPHA, said the training is part of efforts by the agency to promote specialised health reporting in the country and help functionalise the HRN-SL.
He stated: “The NPHA is ready to work with the Health Reporters Network to promote professional health reporting, and to achieve this, we need partnership. Journalists are very good partners in any response. When you give journalists the right information, they become your partners.”
Kemo Cham, National Coordinator of the HRN-SL, thanked NPHA and its partners for the opportunity to train members of the journalist network.
He said: “We see this as opportunity to not just functionalize out network, but also to forge a lasting collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the NPHA and their partners like UNICEF, Africa CDC and WAHO to promote health reporting in Sierra Leone and in Africa.”
END
About HRN-SL
The Health Reporters Network Sierra Leone (HRN-SL) is an umbrella body of journalists who reports on health in Sierra Leone. It’s membership cut across all forms of media platforms nationwide. HRN-SL was founded in 2019 to promote specialized health reporting in the country.
About NPHA
The National Public Health Agency (NPHA) is Sierra Leone's premier institution for public health protection, preparedness, and response. Established in 2023, the NPHA plays a pivotal role in preventing, detecting, and responding to public health threats through a responsive, science-driven, and coordinated public health system.
Operating under the Ministry of Health, the NPHA leads national efforts in evidence-based policy development, surveillance, emergency response, and systems strengthening — positioning Sierra Leone to meet its public health goals and global health obligations, including the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Contacts
Email: [email protected]
Kemo Cham
National Coordinator
Tel: +232 76 152435
Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
National Secretary General
Tel: +232 88 447444
