Basic Needs Ghana and the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie have organized a day’s training for some media personnel in Tamale on disability and Mental inclusion.
The training workshop was to increase the understanding of media personnel on disability and mental health inclusion in COVID-19 response among media actors.
Participating journalists were introduced into why disability and mental health issues matter, the appropriate use of language on disability and mental health and how to improve COVID-19 media reportage on disability and mental health.
They were also schooled on how to develop ideas for compelling reportage on disability and mental health beats and things to consider when finding stories and the sources on disability and mental health issues.
Knowledge Management and Communications Officer at Basic Needs Ghana, Fred Nantogmah in an interview with Diamond news on the sidelines of the workshop said the training was aimed at strengthening the capacities of journalists to consider disability and mental health when reporting on COVID-19.
He added that it is also to enable the participants to become agents of change to support the reduction of stigma around disability and mental health in Ghana.
“People who have disabilities are people with their own ambitions and aspire to be better persons in society and the public must therefore stop identifying them with their disabilities but rather respect them like all other persons”. Fred Nantogmah added
The training, which was on the theme “Disability and Mental health Inclusion” is under the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie program, which is a four-year disability programme in Ghana, with a specific focus on mental health.
Within the four-year period, the program will focus on promoting stronger policies and systems that respect the rights of people with disabilities, including people with mental health disabilities and also scaling up high quality and accessible mental health services.
It will also emphasis on reducing stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities and generating evidence to inform policy and practice on the effectiveness of disability and mental health programmes and interventions.
The programme is funded by UK Aid from the UK government. It is run by an Options’ led consortium, which also consists of BasicNeeds-Ghana, Kings College London, Sightsavers International and Tropical Health
Story by: Edward A. Ken-Zorre
