Civil society organisations in India learn to work with the media

Training civil society organisations to work effectively with the media is an important aspect of building awareness about TB. In early July, members of the Partnership for TB Care and Control in the north and western region of India took part in a 1-1/2 day media training workshop coordinated by The Union South-East Asia Office in collaboration with the Indian Media Centre for Journalists (IMCFJ), through a grant from Eli Lilly.

 

The workshop was the second in a series that aims to achieve maximum reporting on issues related to TB, thereby, helping to increase awareness of the disease in communities. Presentations included the challenges of facing, interacting and partnering with the media; how to write press releases and how and when to hold press conferences. To help put the training into action, participants were also required to submit a media plan for their respective organisations to the Secretariat of the Partnership within a month of the training.

 

As an additional incentive, the organisations that generate the most coverage about TB in the media will receive an award that will be announced on World TB Day 2012.

 

Participants for this session represented the Voluntary Health Association Madhya Pradesh, Emmanuel Health Association, Foundation for Research in Community Health, Foundation for Medical Research, Lok Seva Sangam, LEPRA, Catholic Health Association of India, Centre for Legislative Research and Advocacy, Madhya Pradesh Samajik Seva Sansthan, Inter Aide, India Development Foundation and GRAVIS. Manpreet Kaur, assistant project manager, the Secretariat, said feedback from attendees "was very positive about the training".

 

Funds for this project are provided through a grant from Eli Lilly. Training for other regions in India is planned for the near future. For more information: www.tbpartnershipindia.org