When the next big disease outbreak comes around, biomedical and science journalists will have a pivotal role to play in keeping the public informed.
 
Media are often inundated with public calls during disease outbreaks and may find themselves in the glut of mistrust, sensational headlines, incorrect or unverified information. With the view of helping to build the capacity of local media to undertake high-quality and robust health and science journalism, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) invites you on a half day training course on Reporting on Disease Outbreaks.
 
The training will cover topics such as the role of the media during disease outbreaks (Prof Lucille Blumberg), unique features of the influenza virus “swine flu” and how pandemics arise, and a risk assessment for future pandemics (Prof Cheryl Cohen), opportunities for reporting on outbreaks (Mrs Thabile Mbhele) and reporting on Listeriosis: lessons learnt (Dr Juno Thomas).
 
The sessions aim to be engaging and will answer questions relating to recent outbreaks of communicable diseases in South Africa, and we invite all the media who are interested in health reporting to join us.
 
Date: 26 September 2018
Time: 08h30 to 12h00
Venue: PRF Seminar Room One, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham
RSVP by no later than 21 September 2018 to Muzi Maseko: muzikayisem@nicd.ac.za
 
 
Kind regards,
Sinenhlanhla Jimoh
Senior Communications Manager
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
Office: 011 386 6409
Cell: 082 609 9514
Twitter: @nicd_sa
E-mail: Sinenhlanhlaj@nicd.ac.za