“Fight adolescent stigma” – Health ministry challenges journalists

24 September 2026, 10:34 pm

By, Mike Okwang Ogule

Journalists have been urged to take the lead in fighting stigma and discrimination against adolescents and ensure communities receive accurate, factual and responsible information about young people’s health and wellbeing.

The call was made by Dr. Irene Mwenyango, Assistant Commissioner for Adolescent and School Health at the Ministry of Health, while closing a three-day training for journalists from ten community radio stations across Uganda at Esella Country Hotel in Najjera, Wakiso District.

Dr. Mwenyango challenged journalists to be vigilant when reporting on adolescent health issues, warning that inaccurate information can fuel stigma and discrimination against young people.

She also urged journalists to involve parents and families in their programmes, saying they play a critical role in shaping the health, wellbeing and development of children and adolescents.

Dr. Mwenyango further encouraged journalists to provide communities with accurate health information and direct those seeking support to reliable services, including the Ministry of Health toll-free line 0800 100 066 and Sauti 116.

The three-day training, organised by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO, was held under the theme “Leveraging Community Radios to Advance Young People’s Health and Wellbeing.”

The training brought together journalists from ten community radio stations and equipped them with skills to report and produce programs that address the health and wellbeing needs of young people.

Teddy Nabwire Wandera Chimulwa, UNESCO National Project Officer for the Education for Health and Wellbeing programme, said the initiative seeks to strengthen community radio stations in Eastern and Southern Africa to deliver accurate, rights-based and locally relevant information on adolescent health and wellbeing.

She said the programme is designed to engage young people, parents, educators and community leaders through open and intergenerational dialogue, with particular attention to hard-to-reach and out-of-school young people.

The initiative addresses issues including sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, early and unintended pregnancies, school dropout, parent-child communication, and mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Okello, Coordinator of the Community Media Network Uganda (COMNETU), reminded journalists that community radio they currently work for remains a trusted source of information for many communities.

Okello urged the journalists to put the knowledge gained during the training into practice and use their platforms to become trusted voices on issues affecting young people.

The training is part of a six-month UNESCO regional initiative targeting 11 countries, including Uganda, under the Education for Health and Wellbeing and Communication and Information initiatives.

The journalists are expected to apply the skills gained to strengthen youth-focused programming and create safe spaces for communities to openly discuss issues affecting young people.