Information Saves Lives: Bridging Science, Journalism and Communities for Action on COVID-19

Journalists acting in the best interest of their audiences have the job of filtering messages and highlight evidence-based information to help the community to make informed decisions. Uncertainties about the Covid-19 virus has created a perfect breeding ground for conspiracy theories. Health misinformation can cause physical harm, and even death. In this project, MESHA will: 1. Mobilise local media to develop and publish information that can easily be understood by the local communities in Kiswahili, our national language, and in vernacular. A key player in this activity will be the journalists who broadcast in vernacular. These journalists reach out to the grassroots who are often ignored when it comes to health information. 2. Train scientists on how to communicate and network with the media, and link them to journalists who report on health. This will lead to a more vibrant community of scientists who are not media shy and who will be easily available to talk to the journalists who will in turn pass accurate, relevant and timely information to communities. 3. Convene Media Science Cafes (and other forums such as a week-long bootcamp) bringing together scientists, journalists, government officials (whenever possible), and civil society advocates to informally discuss a Covid-19 issue for in-depth learning. 4. Lastly, MESHA will use part of the grant to advance its own media science publishing agenda through its magazine, Sayansi, and website (www.meshascience.org ). To be clear, articles published here are journalistic and are sometimes commissioned from leading media science writers. Expected Outputs  Scientists will communicate better  Journalists will write impactful stories  A critical mass of informed young health reporters journalists  Improved writing skills among young health reporters with focus being on COVID-19  An increased range of contacts for journalists  Communities will make better decisions and take better actions  An increased number of journalism students interested in science journalism increased number of science stories.