The Director of Press and Media Development, Isaac Chipampe, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services in Zambia has urged both the private and public media to tone down their political rhetoric and focus more on writing stories about challenges that affect Zambians and information that educates citizens, especially on sexual and reproductive health – especially those that directly affect the most vulnerable members of society.
He urged the media to create debate and discourse on issues such as sex education and the distribution of contraceptives in both government and private schools. He reported that Zambia has continued to struggle to reduce maternal mortality rate due to unsafe abortions, with young people being the most affected in terms of accessing sexual and reproductive health services in the country,
making it incumbent upon both the public and private media to promote maternal health.
His speech took place at a breakfast meeting for news editors on sexual and reproductive health and unsafe abortion in Zambia, organised by Ipas Zambia and the Panos Institute of Southern Africa. Panos Executive Director Lillian Keifer implored duty bearers to provide public and reproductive health services to Zambians equitably. She also said the media should hold duty bearers accountable for their actions because they are a major link between them and the Zambian people.
