(Agency Ecofin) – Supported by the World Bank, this 16 -month initiative aims to strengthen the production of rigorous and data -based stories, essential to inform populations and fight against health disinformation.
The African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the African Union technical arm (AU) in public health, has just launched a scholarship for African journalists specializing in health issues. Supported by the World Bank, this initiative is part of the African Union (AUMF) media scholarship.
According to the press release published on the organization’s website on Wednesday, July 23, this scholarship aims to promote the production of reliable stories, supported by factual data, in order to better inform populations and support public health policies on the continent.
Over a period of sixteen months, five journalists, one by regional Coordination Center of Africa CDC, will benefit from a complete program combining mentorship, technical training, field surveys and immersion with public health experts. The beneficiaries will also have access to exclusive resources, practical workshops and visits to international institutions.
For Margaret Edwin, director of communication and public information of Africa CDC, the stake is clear: ” We need a new generation of storytellers capable of analyzing the health challenges of the continent with precision and empathy ».
The context is particularly worrying. While the continent supports 25 % of the global charge of diseases, it has only 1.3 % of global health personnel, according to data from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). African countries must take up a double challenge: to eradicate endemic infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis, while facing the rapid rise of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancers. Added to this are the growing threats of emerging infectious diseases, such as Ebola, Lassa fever or variolate of the monkey.
To these visible health emergencies is grafted the disinformation virus. While sub-Saharan Africa has 320 million mobile internet subscribers (GSMA) and platforms like Whatsapp, Facebook, X (ex-Twitter) or Tiktok have become major sources of information, they also serve as rumors, manipulated videos and disinformation campaigns. During the COVVI-19 crisis, false affirmations on vaccines, accusing them, for example, of containing surveillance fleas, circulated massively, compromising the vaccination campaigns in several countries. This flow of false information mines confidence in health authorities, disorganizes emergency responses and can endanger lives. Training journalists capable of demystifying these toxic narrations with rigor, pedagogy and responsibility is therefore a strategic priority.
The call for applications is open until August 14, 2025.
Servan Ahougnon