SOLJA distributes Protective materials for Somaliland media in response to novel Covid-19

By:Yahye Xanas

Hargeisa: 14 April 2020, as the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created a global health crisis that has had a deep impact on lives of communities across the globe and have hit Somaliland in 31 March 2020 after the Ministry of Health confirmed the first two cases and 3 more cases on yesterday 13 April 2020.
Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) in respect of its preparedness and response plan for 2020 have distributed Personal protective equipment’s to the local media particularly to 17 Televisions, active 7 newspapers, 7 websites, freelancers and state-oriented agencies including Radio Hargiesa in response to novel Covid-19 after emergency assistance from our partner Free Press Unlimited. Each media houses is provided a package consisting of personal protective equipment’s-PPE including Facemasks, gloves and hand-wash sensitizers.

In order to tackle with the fake news and spread of misinformation in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak. SOLJA also provided the journalists CPJ international guideline hand-outs for Covid-19 reporting in Somali context-based account along with the Protective packages.
In addition to that, SOLJA’s have launched in the capital of Hargeisa and will second the remaining regions of Somaliland and allocated goods will board in couple of days and will be distributed by our regional representative in Awdal, Saahil, Tog-dheer, Sool and Sanaag regions.
These efforts will complement the Somaliland national strategies for Covid-19 response implementing by the national Covid-19 preparedness committee lead by the Vice President. Also, to strengthen media role play in crises situation and combat misleading or false information churned by unofficial sources and untrained individuals.