Health Journalists Media mentorship in Strengthening TB Control in Zimbabwe

The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is an international organization that, for 98 years, has drawn from the best scientific evidence and expertise to advance solutions to public health challenges affecting people living in poverty: tuberculosis, tobacco use, HIV and AIDS, lung disease, and non-communicable diseases.

The Union's partners include governments, international agencies, civil society and the private sector.

The Union's approach is summed up with three key principles: know, share, act. The Union conducts research, with emphasis on operational research and clinical trials.

The Union also assists its partners in the delivery of effective public health services, disseminates the latest knowledge through journals, publications and other resources, offers courses building technical expertise, management skills and research capacity, convenes conferences and supports a global network of members.

Finally, the organization takes action on the ground to deliver life-saving health services in areas of need and advocates for the policies and resources needed to safeguard health.

Its mission is to promote national autonomy within the framework of the priorities of each country by developing, implementing and assessing anti-tuberculosis, lung health and non-communicable disease programmes as well as other public health issues.

The aims of The Union are: to gather and to disseminate knowledge on all aspects of tuberculosis and lung disease, as well as on resulting community health problems; to alert doctors, decision makers, leaders of opinion and the general public to the dangers presented by tuberculosis, other lung diseases, HIV, and non-communicable diseases as well as the community health problems associated with them; to coordinate, assist and promote the work of its members throughout the world; to establish and maintain close links with the World Health Organization, other United Nations organisations, and government and non-government institutions in health and development sectors.

In partnership with the National Tuberculosis Control Program in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, The Union Zimbabwe office wishes to work with health journalists for the media mentorship project which will begin in March 2018.

The aim is to help and guide journalists in gathering and disseminating correct and in-depth information on all TB and TB-HIV related programs for the benefit of all stakeholders involved from grassroots to national level and beyond. The third edition of the mentorship will run from March to September 2018. Journalists from print, broadcast and on-line media, Passionate about health, development and championing TB-HIV-Diabetes in Zimbabwe, Willing to work with a mentor from story idea, development to publication and willing to learn and most importantly, committed to complete the program.

Each application should include the following; a CV not more than 2 pages, motivation 150 words, membership status with any of the following: Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, Health Journalists Association of Zimbabwe and Gender and Media Connect; media house or intended publication platform for the stories produced during mentorship, at least three proposed story angles. Applications should be sent to andrewnyambo@gmail.com and

 pmagaya@theunion.org.

Websites: http://www.challengetb.org/ and http://www.theunion.org/

Deadline for submission is February 14, 2018 COB.