The Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) has initiated the health emergency and hazard fund for health journalists with N1,000,000.
The Coordinator of AHBN, Dr Aminu Magashi, at the launch on Friday urged Nigerians, governmental bodies, development partners, and the private sector to empathize with journalists, recognizing their humanity as they fulfill their societal duties
Dr Magashi, who has enhanced the skills of health journalists across the nation on various occasions, made an initial deposit of N250,000 into the dedicated account for health and hazards managed by the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ).
He emphasized that journalists, tasked with informing, educating, and entertaining society while upholding government accountability, are frequently undervalued and required to share information despite facing personal challenges.
Addressing the AHNEJ congress meeting in Abuja, where the Trust Fund was introduced, Dr Magashi emphasized the need to acknowledge journalists’ personal struggles.
“Journalists are frequently taken for granted, and their personal challenges are often overlooked when they are invited to cover events for public dissemination. We tend to underestimate them, as seen when event organizers scold journalists for being late without considering the underlying reasons,” he said.
“At AHBN, we believe it’s time to alter the perception of journalists and prioritize their welfare. This initiative does not aim to influence their reporting, as professional journalists uphold factual reporting.”
Dr Magashi said the purpose of this fund is to support ANHEJ members facing health hazards or challenges while carrying out their duties. He encouraged the public and organizations reliant on journalists to consider following AHBN’s example in supporting ANHEJ.
Advocating for contributions to the AHBN Health and Hazard Trust Fund, he stressed the importance of collective support to sustain the initiative.
In his response, ANHEJ President, Joseph Kadiri, acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the Fund and its significant impact on journalists’ work.
Kadiri assured that transparency and accountability would guide the Fund’s management, preventing any misuse.
He expressed gratitude for AHBN’s considerate gesture and recognized its potential positive influence on the journalism profession in the country.