Internews in Kenya held a roundtable ahead of the World TB Day to challenge and support journalists to do their part to ensure we stop TB in our lifetime. The event held in Mombasa focused on the hurdles in the path of eliminating the disease in the foreseeable future.
After the event, Internews trainers had follow-up mentoring and idea brainstorming sessions that resulted in many broadcast and print stories highlighting the challenges.
Two journalists, Musyi FM’s Susan Ndunda and Citizen TV’s Violet Otindo produced exemplary pieces on TB. Ndunda produced a three-part radio feature that was aired on 13 Royal Media FM stations. “I feel nice,” says Ndunda, “I feel like I am communicating.”
Susan’s stories:
How a young girl gets TB from caring for her mother
How TB is spread in congested movie dens in Mombasa
Drug addicts who are infected with TB: Treatment and follow up.
Internews fellow Violet Otindo also produced a three-part feature that was aired on Citizen prime time news from 24 to 26 March.
“I have never done a TB story,” says Violet. “This was my first time. A lot more needs to be done to inform the public about TB. I was very surprised that even though it was World TB day, media houses did not have TB stories as their top priority. They were put as the number 10 story on TV bulletins. So who’s failing?”
Violet’s stories on You Tube:
