MEDICOPRESS is an organization that aims at promoting medical journalism and research in Tanzania. It was founded and legally registered in 2016. That was, after realizing that there was an increasing gap between medical scientists and the media.
The broader objective of Medicopress is to bridge the gap; through empowering journalists to cover in-depth medical stories through data journalism and strong analyses.
Specific Objectives
- To engage medical scientists with the media and the general public in Tanzania.
- To run a successful Medical Journalism Labs that will help to train and encourage local journalists to report medical stories more accurately and analytically, and with a solution to the problems reported in mind. Medicopress promotes “Solutions Journalism” in Tanzania.
- To promote specialized online reporting in medical science and general health through medical data journalism, medical photography and social media.
- To provide the country’s public with suitable information solutions on general health issues.
- Providing public health education in the simplest form possible to the public in Tanzania; in Kiswahili through digital platforms.
- Advocating the inclusion of a Medical Journalism course in the teaching curriculum of local journalism schools and developing medical journalism manuals that suit the context of the practice of journalism in Tanzania.
- Embracing and creating more awareness to the public in Tanzania about various Information Technology (IT) solutions to health problems, through collaboration with innovators.
- Addressing the growing trend of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through media and creating media solutions to the public health challenge by partnering with stakeholders.
- Working hand in hand with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that deal with health in Tanzania.
Headquarters
Medicopress is based in Dar es Salaam. The company encompasses a group of committed journalists and health scientists who are supported by a network of editorial advisors based in Tanzania.
The journalists from Medicopress have a proven track record in developmental journalism—especially in healthcare reporting.
The editorial advisers are drawn from diverse backgrounds, including journalism and health science.
Other services:
- Public health Education through cartoons and short messages online
- Specialized medical photography
- Partnering with Research Institutions on how to raise the profile of health scientists
- Dealing with Non-Communicable Diseases by working with nutritionists around the country to try and educate the public on how to cut down weight and lead a healthy life.
- Organizing a continuous program on training and encouraging journalists to specialize on medical/health reporting.
- Preparing tools that will assist journalists who write health stories, such as creating a database for health information, developing data kits, medico dictionary (Kamusi tabibu).
- Building a database of source—scientists willing to be interviewed by the media, and creating a database of all medical information in the country.
- Creating a platform for the public to voice their concerns to the government and stakeholders—even public appeals for assistance—for people with complex health challenges.
- Rare health conditions existing in Tanzania as discovered by local scientists.
- Affiliating with all website portals dealing with public health in Tanzania and globally.