Amid the noise of political crises and breaking news, critical health issues like HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria are often sidelined in West African newsrooms, journalists say. Despite their long-term impact on public health, these stories rarely make headlines unless accompanied by a scandal or a dramatic outbreak.
This concern took center stage during the Breaking Down Barriers health journalism workshop—an event convened by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in partnership with the Global Fund. It brought together media professionals and civil society advocates to explore how the media can better serve the public on issues of long-term health equity.
Journalists from across West Africa, representing radio, television, print, and digital platforms, spoke candidly about editorial constraints that downplay persistent diseases. They expressed frustration at how media coverage overwhelmingly focuses on short-term crises like Ebola or Lassa fever while overlooking the ongoing realities of HIV or TB.
Framing Matters: Beyond Outbreaks and Emergencies
Martha Okere, a broadcast journalist with Wazobia FM, Nigeria, voiced a common sentiment: that many health stories are viewed as “soft” and pushed aside unless they carry shock value.
“If it isn’t a dramatic outbreak or scandal, stories on HIV, TB, or malaria are seen as not urgent enough,” Okere said.
Bukola Adebayo, inclusive economies correspondent at the Thomson Reuters Foundation, urged her colleagues to think differently about how they frame such stories. She emphasized the importance of solutions journalism, highlighting community-driven responses and human-interest elements as compelling ways to make these issues resonate.
“Editors respond to pitches that demonstrate urgency and human connection,” Adebayo explained. “A local group offering malaria test kits or a community-led HIV awareness project can become lead stories—if the narrative is strong and timely.”
Overcoming Structural Barriers and Stigma
Journalists also face logistical and cultural barriers when covering sensitive health topics. Adebayo noted that stigma remains a major roadblock, especially in sourcing personal testimonies from people living with HIV or TB.
“Many are afraid to speak on the record,” she said. “But there are networks—like those led by people living with HIV—that can help bridge this gap. Building trust with these groups is essential for responsible and impactful reporting.”
Access to accurate and timely data also emerged as a common challenge, with participants noting the frequent delays and red tape in obtaining official health statistics. These gaps, they argued, further limit media coverage of crucial health stories outside peak news cycles.
Strategic Pitching and Editorial Engagement
Adebayo offered practical advice: journalists should align health pitches with global observances—like World AIDS Day or World Malaria Day—to increase editorial interest and news relevance. But more importantly, she stressed, the pitch must be urgent, clear, and grounded in lived realities.
“You don’t always need a scandal to justify the story,” she said. “If a rural clinic is filling a gap left by donors, or a patient walks hours for treatment, that’s a story worth telling.”
Redefining Media Priorities
Madina Kula, a journalist from Sierra Leone, echoed the need to elevate health reporting beyond its current status as filler content.
“People are dying quietly because we don’t report enough when there’s no emergency,” she said. “We need to push these stories into primetime—not just page 15.”
Participants collectively agreed that transforming how the media covers chronic health issues will require sustained effort. It will mean reimagining the role of health journalism—not just as public education, but as a form of social accountability.
Media–Civil Society Synergy: The Way Forward
As the workshop continues, joint sessions between journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) are focusing on practical collaboration. The goal is to ensure more inclusive, impactful health coverage—coverage that centres human rights and equitable access to healthcare.
In doing so, participants hope to build a new standard for health journalism in the region: one that keeps HIV, TB, and malaria in public consciousness, not just during crises, but every day lives depend on it.