- HEWAN And NIMR Host Workshop To Elevate Science And Health Journalism
- The Director General of NIMR, Prof Obafunwa, Commended HEWAN For The Initiative
- Prof. Obafunwa Affirmed NIMR’s Readiness to Collaborate With Media Agencies
The Health Writers Association of Nigeria, in partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, hosted a two-day workshop which took place from October 21 to 22, 2025, at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Cancer Center, Lagos, with a focus on Elevating Science and Health Journalism.
Ekohotblog reports that health writers, journalists, medical experts, and researchers graced the workshop, themed “Elevating Science and Health Journalism”, aimed at deepening understanding of health and science journalism and its impact on public health communication.
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The event commenced on Tuesday with a welcome address delivered by Vivian Ihechu, President of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN).
In her speech, she highlighted the association’s commitment to building a stronger network of informed health journalists who can drive evidenced based storytelling.
Following the welcome address, the event featured goodwill messages and an opening remark by Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa, Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).
He praised the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) for pioneering the initiative, highlighting its importance in elevating science and health journalism.
Additionally, he underscored the institute readiness to collaborate with the media to promote scientific accuracy and literacy.
“Leadership in health journalism is not the sole responsibility of many singular organization, it is a collaboration”, He said.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Oliver Ezechi, NIMR’s director of research, emphasized the essence of credible health communication, stressing that health writers play a vital role in bridging the gap between research and the public.
Meanwhile, day one session featured a presentation on “prevalent health issues and what journalists should know” by Dr. David Agatha, following this was a presentation by Dr. Yakubu Amade-Agada on ”National Health Insurance Authority”.
Afterwards, Dr. Samuel Otene delivered a presentation on “Breast Cancer” which was further complemented by Ph. Dozie Osibie presentation on “Africa Breast Cancer Ambition”.
Furthermore, the afternoon segment featured discussions on “Sustaining Health Reportage” by Yinka Shonubi and “Understanding Scientific Data” by Akin Jimoh.
Finally, day one wrapped up with Bukola Adebayo’s presentation on ”Digital Tools for Modern Health Reporting”.
The workshop continued on day 2 with Prof Lere Baale’s presentation on ”Drug Research and Development: From Lab to the Patient” stating that drug research and development is a journey of transformation.
In his closing remark, the DG, NIMR, Prof. Obafunwa urged participants to strengthen their commitment in promoting data driven report that supports public health development.
The workshop concluded with the presentation of certificates to participants, marking the end of a transformative experience designed to empower health journalists with the knowledge to elevate accurate medical report.
