Journalist Inspired to Join the Fight towards Stigma Reduction against TB Patients
Journalist attends training session on stigma reduction against TB patients and proceeds to create primetime TV report on TB for the entire country to see.
Elnura Moldokadyrova, correspondent from National Kyrgyz Television, receiving information on tuberculosis during a training session for journalists.
“I was deeply touched by the stories of the former TB patients that were shared with us…and by the information on TB provided...”
Under the USAID Dialogue on HIV and TB Project, a two-day training session was conducted for 31 journalists from TV, radio, and newspaper agencies in Kyrgyzstan in order to address the issue. Participants received basic information on TB, multidrug-resistant TB, the co-infection of HIV and TB, the TB situation in Kyrgyzstan specifically, and in the world in general, ethically-related concerns, and the importance of presenting accurate information to the public. Following the training, a press conference was held with guests from the National Phthisiology Center, the Republican AIDS Center, Red Crescent, and two former TB patients.
One of the participants at the training was Elnura Moldokadyrova, a correspondent from National Kyrgyz Television. Prior to the training, she had minimal knowledge about TB and a not particularly positive view towards TB patients. Through the training, however, she was inspired and motivated to contribute to the fight against TB and the stigma towards TB patients. She prepared a five-minute report on TB and persuaded the management to broadcast it on the National Kyrgyz Television channel to the entire country at primetime. “Very often, we make quick, half-minute reports for news blocks since there is a lot of news to cover,” Moldokadyrova explained. “But this time I was deeply touched by the stories of the former TB patients that were shared with us at the press conference and by the information on TB provided during the training. I realized that TB is a public health issue and decided to dig into the problem and work hard on a more detailed report by meeting with officials, TB patients, and doctors. The head of my department gave the report a high rating and it was broadcasted at primetime.”
Her report was met with much positive feedback from the general population and medical specialists alike. They hope she will continue informing the public about TB.
