By Mark Longyen

The Managing Director of the Sierra Leone News Agency (SLENA), Mrs Lolo Thompson-Oguamah, has urged African news agencies to leverage their platforms to achieve public health sovereignty in their countries.

She stated this on Wednesday in Rabat, the Moroccan capital, at the 8th General Assembly of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA), with the theme: “Health Sovereignty in Africa”.

Thompson-Oguamah, Sierra Leone’s Media Lead in Risk Communication and Social Mobilisation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ebola Virus Emergency Preparedness Plan, underscored the important role of the media in safeguarding health sovereignty.

According to her, health sovereignty is not just about providing resources but also about empowering people with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions for their well-being.

She said that her experiences during the pandemics served as clear testimonies to the indispensable role of the media in strengthening health systems, shaping public narratives, and saving lives.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities across Africa, not only in healthcare systems but also in our information ecosystems.

“In Sierra Leone, the dual crises of Ebola and COVID-19 highlighted the urgent need for sovereign health systems tailored to our unique challenges.

“Weak health infrastructure, compounded by misinformation and disinformation, magnified the impact of the two health crises, resulting in unnecessary loss of lives and a slower recovery process,” she said.

Thompson-Oguamah noted that the pandemics highlighted the fact that many people in Sierra Leone died because of insufficient information, stressing that the media’s role in helping to close the glaring gaps cannot be overemphasised.

The SLENA boss also emphasised that timely, accurate, and culturally sensitive communication form the cornerstone of crisis management.

“The media’s role extends beyond information dissemination. We are catalysts for public understanding, trust, and action.

“By embracing this responsibility, we can help build a future where every African enjoys the dignity of informed health decisions.

“Health sovereignty begins with information sovereignty. By empowering our people with accurate, reliable information, we enable them to take ownership of their health and futures,” she said.

Thompson-Oguamah further noted that health sovereignty requires a multi-faceted approach to succeed.

This, she said, required investing in specialised training skilled journalists capable of interpreting epidemiological data and navigating ethical reporting dimensions.

She also urged the African news agencies to leverage digital platforms to amplify accurate information and combat disinformation because they offer unparalleled opportunities.

“Social media campaigns, mobile outreach programmes, and visual aids are instrumental in our efforts,” she said.

She urged them to engage in gender-inclusive communication by mainstreaming gender into all their programmes and harness women’s leadership that would foster resilience and improve outcomes.

The SLENA MD added that partnerships among the media and health sectors as well as community leaders are critical to achieving public health sovereignty.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Malam Ali M. Ali, is among the African News Agencies’ chiefs attending the General Assembly.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)