By FRANKLIN SONE BAYEN
A network of journalists to raise awareness and mobilise the public towards the fight against malnutrition in Cameroon has been created. The Journalists’ Network for Scaling Up Nutrition (JONSUN) was created in Yaounde, January 21, 2020, at the end of a capacity building seminar for journalists at the headquarters of the Helen Keller International Foundation (HKI) in Bastos, Yaounde.
JONSUN is created as the media wing of the international Civil Society Alliance (CSA) of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement in Cameroon, which, according to the terms of reference for the seminar, “has been engaged in leading advocacy endeavours in favour of nutrition at sub-national levels through training of local council authorities and civil society organisations” since its facelift in 2018. Their target is to end malnutrition in Cameroon by 2030. HKI and COSADER are leader and co-leader of the CSA.
The capacity building seminar for journalists was held because, “it is important to build the capacity of the media in raising awareness and social mobilisation nationwide on subjects specific and sensitive to the fight against malnutrition,” the organisers stated.
The seminar sought to familiarise journalists with micronutrient deficiencies and nutrient intakes, behaviour change in favour of good nutrition practices, food availability, access to food, and food use by men, women and children.
The keynote speaker at the seminar was Professor Julius Oben, world renowned Nutritional Biochemist at the University of Yaounde I, famous for his groundbreaking research on bush mango or ogbono as a cure or prevention of obesity, who spoke on the Essentials of Nutrition.
Oben told journalists they have the power to impose the fight against malnutrition on the national agenda and on the last slide of his power point presentation showing a malnourished child and a visibly affluent man, he asked, “How can there be plenty yet not enough? Journalists please rescue our nation.”
The presentation of Cecile Patricia, Sub-director of Food and Nutrition in the Ministry of Public Health and SUN’s Cameroon focal point, was on “Causes, Consequences and Cycles of Malnutrition and Scope of Malnutrition in Cameroon – Who are the Most Vulnerable? Highlights of the 2019 SMART Survey”. Another presentation was on “Social and Behaviour Change Communication in Favour of Nutrition”.
These were followed by interactive sessions on the role of the media in the fight against malnutrition (Public Awareness and Mobilisation) and “Strategic Communication for the Implication of Local Authorities in the Fight Against Malnutrition”. Dr Ishmael Teta, HKI Country Director, sat through most of the presentations.
At the end of the seminar, a network of journalists for nutrition reporting and advocacy was created with the following elected into the pioneer executive bureau: Coordinator: Arnaud Nguefack of Canal 2, Deputy Coordinator: Nadege Bowa of Le Messager and Secretary General: Franklin Sone Bayen freelance journalist and columnist with The Sun Newspaper. Others are: Deputy Secretary General: Gladys Asu of CRTV News, Treasurer: Olive Atangana of L’Oeil du Sahel and Adviser: Dr Solve Akamba, Communication chief at the Ministry of Public Health.