“By empowering our people with accurate, reliable information, we enable them to take ownership of their health and futures”, argued Thompson at the opening of the 8th General Assembly of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA), held under the theme "African Press Agencies as Vehicle for Promoting the Continent’s Health Sovereignty".

Drawing on her experience as media lead in the Risk Communication and Social Mobilization Unit, as part of the National Emergency Response to COVID-19 (NaCOVERC) as well as the Ebola Virus Emergency Preparedness Plan in Sierra Leone, she stressed the “vital role” of the media in Africa in preserving public health sovereignty.

“In Sierra Leone, the dual crises of Ebola and COVID-19 highlighted the urgent need for sovereign healthcare systems adapted to our unique challenges,” Thompson stated, believing that weak healthcare infrastructures, compounded by misinformation, magnified the impact of these health crises.

According to her, COVID-19 indeed exposed vulnerabilities in Africa, not only in healthcare systems, but also in information ecosystems, hence the pivotal role of the media in addressing these gaps.

In this sense, she explained that “health sovereignty is not just about resources, but also about empowering people with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions in favor of their well-being”.

In this regard, the Managing Director of the Sierra Leone Press Agency deemed that “timely, accurate and culturally sensitive communication is the cornerstone of health crisis management”, noting that the media can either propel or hinder efforts to promote public health.

Highlighting that health sovereignty requires a multi-dimensional approach, Thompson emphasized the need to invest in specialized training, given that health crises require skilled journalists capable of interpreting epidemiological data and navigating ethical aspects of reporting.

She also called for the creation of centers of excellence for health journalism across Africa to build capacity and expertise, and for the diversification of partnerships between press agencies, health authorities and community stakeholders.

In addition, Thompson called for leveraging technologies to amplify reliable and culturally relevant information, and for gender-inclusive health communication strategies taking into account women's role as caregivers and community leaders.

“With our networks, credibility and influence, we can shape narratives that promote resilience and health sovereignty,” she enthused, stressing that African news agencies owe it to themselves to rise to these challenges and help build a future where every African enjoys the dignity of informed health decisions.

For its 8th General Assembly, FAAPA aims at shedding light on ways of promoting and strengthening African health sovereignty, in order to better cope with future shocks. Today more than ever, the development of health sovereignty on a continental scale stands as a major challenge calling on all the driving forces of the continent, including the media, and in particular national press agencies.