To enhance health journalism and promote accountability in Ghana’s health sector, the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) in partnership with the Ghana Health Service and the Africa Leaders Malaria Network, organized a two-day residential workshop for journalists.
The training aimed to equip journalists with the knowledge and skills to access, interpret, and utilize data from the Ghana Community Scorecard to effectively report on health system performance, gaps, and community feedback.
The Community Scorecard is a community-led governance tool that promotes accountability and responsiveness to community needs. It captures community perceptions on healthcare delivery, monitors service quality, and provides a platform for community health workers and members to relay needs and perceptions.
However, Ghana’s health sector faces numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, shortage of healthcare personnel, and inadequate data management. Dr. Andrews Ayim, a health expert, noted, “The lack of accurate and timely data hinders effective decision-making and resource allocation in the health sector.”
To address this challenge, journalists were taught how to navigate the Community Scorecard platform to access data on health facility performance. They learned how to analyze data on key indicators such as immunization coverage, maternal mortality rates, and malaria prevalence.
According to Dr. Charity Binka, Executive Secretary of AMMREN, Journalist are the voice for the voiceless and plays a significant role in the health sector. “Journalists, are the voice of the voiceless and plays a significant role in shaping public discourse and promoting accountability in the health sector,” she said.
Dr. Ayim, on his part, explained “The Community Scorecard platform provides insights into the performance of health facilities,” said . “By analyzing this data, journalists can identify gaps in healthcare delivery and hold duty-bearers accountable.”
Journalists were also guided on best practices for reporting on scorecards, including accessing routine health data responsibly, balanced reporting, and adopting a collaborative tone. They explored story ideas such as scale-up of scorecards in new CHPS zones, successful implementation of scorecard action plans, demonstrated impact, and challenges and proposed solutions.
AMMREN and partners aimed to foster a culture of constructive journalism, driving advocacy, community engagement, and accountability in Ghana’s health sector.
According to Dr. Binka, this initiative is crucial in promoting transparency and accountability in the health sector. “We believe that informed journalism can drive positive change and improve healthcare outcomes for Ghanaians.” She said.
