The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, has called on media proprietors to provide adequate and necessary protective gadgets and medications where required for journalists covering the Covid-19 health crisis in Nigeria.
Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said journalists are among professionals who are always on duty during crisis situations as currently exists in the country and their safety should therefore be accorded very high priority.
A statement signed by Olutoyin Ayoade on behalf of IPC, quoted Arogundade as saying: “From provision with protective wears and adequate supply of basics such as hand sanitizers, nothing can be too much to do for journalists on the field at this moment.”
Arogundade further stated that journalists covering Covid-19 also deserved to be placed on a special insurance package.
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He also advised journalists to avail themselves of all the health tips on avoiding Covid-19 infection especially as outlined by global health bodies and national health institutions.
“Journalists should apply necessary caution so as not to expose themselves to avoidable health risk in the understandable urge to cover breaking stories on the pandemic”, he stated.
Meanwhile, he charged journalists and other media professionals to be cautious in reporting COVID-19 and ensure that all supposed breaking stories on the disease are fact-checked to mitigate the spread of false or misleading information.
