Media should closely examine the nutrition programmes of ministries

Media should closely examine how the benefits of various programmes of different ministries, mainly related to policy and strategic aspects of the overall nutrition system, are reaching the people, nutrition experts and media professionals have said. 

In addition, mass media can lead to the spreading of nutritional concepts and build awareness among the people, they said at a media dialogue on nutrition governance in the capital on Wednesday, adding: it is important for the media to play a proactive role in achieving development targets by ensuring nutrition governance.

Organised by SoMaSHTe, a media development and communication-focused organisation, high officials of media policy-making and editorial level, representatives of the Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC), and development experts participated in the event.

BNNC Director General Dr Hasan Shahriar Kabir was the chief guest while journalist Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul chaired the event.

Dr Shahriar said that nutrition governance is mainly related to the policy and strategic aspects of the overall nutrition system. Various ministries have specific programs in light of these. 

The dialogue was organised under the European Union-funded 'Collective Responsibility, Action and Accountability for Improved Nutrition' project led by Concern Worldwide, an international development organisation. BNNC provides strategic support in media engagement in nutrition governance.

Moderated by SoMaSHTe's Director Mir Masrur Zaman, the Deputy Director of BNNC Dr Akter Imam and Imranul Haque of Concern Worldwide spoke about various aspects of nutrition governance.

Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul said that the media should prioritise issues related to the public interest, such as nutrition governance. Specialisation of journalists should be developed for covering such topics. He added: media should give more importance to new topics and come out from the traditional operating structure.