Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Prof KG Suresh said today that public health reporting is serious subject and journalists should not create sensation while reporting. It should be balanced.

Prof Suresh was addressing a faculty development programme (FDP) on 'Public Health and Evidence-Based Reporting' under CAS organised by the University and UNICEF jointly. The Vice Chancellor said health communication is a serious and important subject.

Content related with fact checking and critical appraisal skill training will be incorporated in curriculum. Prof Suresh said health reporting in journalism needs special training because this is the area that is directly related with human life and public health.

Government and NGOs both are also responsible in creating awareness for health along with media. All should understand their responsibility.

Communication expert of UNICEF Shri Anil Gulati underlined the need of evidence-based reporting.

A lot of reports have been published in media on Covid-19 cases without referring particular data and have gone viral on social media. He suggested to analyse media reports on Covid-19 pandemic cases.

Senior journalist Sanjay Dev called upon media persons to put their biases aside while reporting. Health journalism is related with humanity. A journalist should communicate in simple words.

Senior journalist Sanjay Abhigyan said the purpose of journalism is in fact to write for the life and if it is not so, people will consider 'Amrit' as Vish (poison). Readers should not be confused in health reporting. CAS actually is an evaluation for news and journalists should adopt it.

Coordinator LB Ojha conducted the programme. Mentor Manikanthan Nair proposed the vote of thanks. Registrar Prof Avinash Bajpai, teachers of different teaching departments and other staff members were present there.