Health journalism takes center stage at Kochi

It is through the media that complex information in the field of medicine can be made easily understandable to the general public. Health journalism bridges the gap between ordinary people and the medical community, says Justice Devan Ramachandran, High Court of Kerala. He was speaking at the inaugural event of the National Health Journalism Summit ‘Medi Media’ being held at the IMA House, Kochi. This collaborative initiative is a joint effort by Aster Medcity, the Ernakulam Press Club, and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Cochin chapter. 

 

He noted that the relevance of health journalism has increased further after the Covid pandemic. During the pandemic, Kerala witnessed exemplary media work. The difficult times showed us what responsible journalism truly means, and for that, the media deserves appreciation. Addressing the overload of information on the internet, Justice Devan Ramachandran also emphasized the accountability of what news media publishes.  

 

“The goal of the National Health Journalism Summit is to initiate and develop a dialogue around the growing interest in healthcare by bringing together experts from the media, medical, and legal sectors,” said Dr. Nalanda Jayadev, CEO of Aster Medcity. 

 

Almost 30 journalists from various parts of the country are participating in the two-day event to discuss critical healthcare issues and foster responsible health reporting. A series of sessions followed the inauguration, covering topics such as "Prescribing the Right Dosage," "Second Victim," and "Navigating Grey Zones." Experts from the health, legal, and media sectors across India participated in the discussions. 

 

Tomorrow, summit delegates will join a memory walk called "Healthy Steps at Marine Drive" with prominent city figures, starting at 7 a.m. from Abdul Kalam Marg. 

 

The valedictory function, to be held at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, will be inaugurated by Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan, with Kochi Mayor M. Anil Kumar as the chief guest. 

 

Justice Devan Ramachandran, High Court of Kerala, Hibi Eden, MP - Ernakulam, Benny Behanan, MP - Chalakkudy, Dr. Nalanda Jayadev, CEO of Aster Medcity, K. P. Reji, State President, KUWJ, R. Gopakumar, President of the Ernakulam Press Club, M. Shajil Kumar, Secretary of the Press Club, S. K. Abdulla, MD, Lakeshore Hospital and Dr. Junaid Rehman, Medical Director, Sree Sudheendra Medical Mission Hospital, Kochi,  spoke during the inauguration.