Dubai: The Dubai Press Club (DPC) and Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) have organized a training program to raise the capabilities of media professionals to cover healthcare-related topics. It was titled ‘Introduction to Health Science for Journalists.’
The program forms part of DPC’s ‘Advanced Journalism Program’ intended to advance professional benchmarks in Arab media.
A collaborative effort between the media and health sectors aims to blend specialized health coverage into mainstream media. This initiative focuses on educating journalists about current healthcare matters and equipping them with the necessary tools to accurately and responsibly communicate information about public health crises and pandemics.
Dr. Maitha Buhumaid, Director of the Dubai Press Club, said that, “Amidst the rapid transformations happening in the UAE and across the globe, this initiative was designed to enable journalists to keep pace with the emerging wave of developments in the health sector and beyond. With the rapidly evolving nature of healthcare, there is an urgent need for journalists to stay abreast of changing approaches to public health management and the vast new innovation and research in this vital sector.”
“Guided by the vision of the UAE’s leadership, we seek to work closely with various partners to raise the media’s expertise in addressing health challenges. In collaboration with MBRU, we created a set of training modules to raise journalists’ understanding of today’s healthcare landscape. Our goal is not only to enhance the depth of health coverage in the media but also inculcate a proactive mindset amongst media professionals and raise our community’s broader awareness and vigilance to deal with any future pandemics,” Mr. Buhumaid added.
The four-day program held at the Dubai Press Club sought to help journalists understand contemporary medical terms, interpret health data correctly, and communicate statistics effectively.
The program included training sessions, hands-on workshops, and evaluations to teach participants how to monitor and analyze health data, particularly during health crises. Additionally, a major goal of the program was to counteract misinformation that could arise from a fragmented understanding of health topics.