By Mustapha Adamu, Kano
The International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) has urged journalists in Kano State to adopt evidence-based reporting to promote accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery in Nigeria’s primary healthcare (PHC) system.
The call was made during the opening of a two-day Media Engagement and Capacity-Building Workshop for members of the Kano Health Journalists Network (KAHJON) held in Kano on Wednesday.
The workshop, organised by ISMPH in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Health and supported by the EngenderHealth Consortium Partnership, aims to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report on PHC Accountability Scorecards using findings from the Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) and the Primary Health Care Facility Assessment Tool (PHC-FAT).
Speaking on behalf of ISMPH Executive Director, Chief (Mrs.) Moji Makanjuola, the organisation’s Programmes and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Manager, Philip Muoneke, said the training builds on the recent State Roundtable Dialogue on health accountability in Kano.
According to Makanjuola, the dialogue highlighted the need for journalists to develop skills to interpret, contextualise, and communicate health data in ways that promote transparency, inform the public, and support evidence-based decision-making.
She explained that participants would receive practical training on PHC Accountability Scorecards, Integrated Supportive Supervision findings, PHC-FAT reports, and health financing data to enable them to produce balanced, data-driven, and solutions-focused reports.
“The role of journalists goes beyond reporting events. The media plays a vital role in shaping public discourse, amplifying community voices, bridging the gap between government and citizens, and strengthening accountability through accurate and verified information,” she said.
Makanjuola reaffirmed ISMPH’s commitment to working with government institutions, media organisations, civil society groups, and development partners to strengthen health journalism and improve accountability across Nigeria’s health sector.
She also commended the Kano State Government, the Kano State Ministry of Health, and the EngenderHealth Consortium Partnership for supporting initiatives that promote evidence-based health reporting.
“The knowledge and skills gained during this workshop should translate into stories that not only inform the public but also inspire positive action, promote accountability, and strengthen confidence in the primary healthcare system,” she added.
In her remarks, Chairperson of the Kano Health Journalists Network (KAHJON), Hauwa Suleiman Zahradeen, described the workshop as a timely intervention that would improve journalists’ ability to analyse and interpret health sector data.
Represented by the network’s Vice Chairman, Mustapha Hodi Adamu, she said the training was conceived after an earlier session on the ISS Data Scorecard revealed gaps in journalists’ capacity to translate complex health data into compelling, evidence-based reports.
She noted that the workshop would equip participants with practical skills in data analysis, story development, and evidence-based reporting to improve public understanding of health sector performance and strengthen accountability.
Also speaking, the Kano State Lead of the Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL), Dr. Muhammad Inuwa Shuaib, said the workshop would deepen journalists’ understanding of health data generation, analysis, and interpretation.
He explained that the training would enhance accurate reporting on key health programmes, including Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS), Routine Monitoring and Accountability for Results (RAMCA), Vulnerable and Hard-to-Reach Communities (VHC), and other health interventions across Kano State.
Shuaib urged journalists to familiarise themselves with technical health indicators and available data resources to produce reports that support public awareness, advocacy, and evidence-based policymaking.
The Policy Coordinator of the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), Atiku Mohammed Yola, also stressed the importance of scientific evidence in journalism.
He said journalists who rely on verified and scientifically generated data produce more credible, ethical, and professional reports while reducing the risk of misinformation.
Yola encouraged media practitioners to remain objective and impartial, noting that factual and evidence-driven journalism is essential for promoting transparency, strengthening governance, and improving health outcomes.
The workshop brought together officials from the Kano State Ministry of Health, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, development partners, resource persons, and health journalists to enhance data-driven health reporting and strengthen public communication on healthcare issues in Kano State.
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