It has been almost two months now since I was assigned to the Federal Ministry of Health in Ethiopia as a Knight International Health Journalism Fellow to help improve the quality and quantity of health radio and television shows produced by the ministry. The shows are transmitted on the national broadcaster, Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency. Although it was my objective to help press officers at the ministry produce quality health radio and TV programs, who would have thought that a two-month mentorship with the group could turn into a real success?

Tesfamichael Afework is one of the press officers at the ministry. Even though he has been involved in other public relations routines, he had never been engaged in radio and TV program production assignments, which are also part of his task. One recent Tuesday morning, Tesfamichael and I had a chat on the ABCs of planning and producing health shows, a day I wouldn’t forget. He sent me a production plan for a show on preventing TB in West Gojjam Zone, Amhara Regional State. We discussed the plan, and days later he headed off toward Kudmie Kebele, in West Gojjam Zone.

Tesfamichael and the camera crew came back with the story of Lakew Muche, a farmer who is infected with Tuberculosis. Lakew was identified by a community health extension worker and brought for examinations to the nearest health center in Merawi town, about a two hour walk from Kudmie Kebele where he lives. Given the direct link between TB and poverty, Lakew has been unable to perform his day-to-day activities as a farmer. His wife emphasizes that it is becoming difficult for her to support her two sons and her ill husband. However, Lakew and his wife are hopeful they’ll be able to get back to their normal life, if the government’s program known as DOTS, or Directly Observed Treatment Short-course, could be effective in their locality. DOTS is an inexpensive and highly effective means of treating patients already infected with TB and preventing new infections and the development of drug resistance.

Tesfamichael wanted the show to assess the effectiveness of DOTS in Kudmie Kebele. He interviewed health extension workers and other health service providers in the zone in order to gauge the success of the TB prevention and control program. Tesfamichael pointed out to officials in the zone that DOTS is not reaching the poor and those in remote areas like Lakew. Other Kudmi dwellers like Hiwot Ayenew and Misganaw Gedlu two other TB patients, gave their comments on the poor service that they are getting. Despite problems in health service provisions in their area, they appreciate the free TB treatment that has been given by the government, and door-to-door follow-up of community-based health extension workers to detect TB cases and facilitate access to free treatment.

Following video and script editing, Tesfamichael approached his teammates for help coming up with a title for his show. Colleagues sat down with him, and then the loud debate started. I was happy to see all my mentees eager to get an appropriate title for the program. They were throwing around words and phrases with a lot of emotion and joy. I am still thrilled that every one of them tried to recall what they had discussed with me about packaging health pieces. That heated debate displayed the hope that someday all of them will develop enough confidence to produce health shows independently.

The title that was agreed on at last is “Ye’medan Tesfa”, which means, “Hope of Cure.” I can also see hope in Tesfamichael’s eyes, for producing his next program. He said the experience he got from this process encouraged him to know more about the basics of journalism, most importantly interviewing skills and interpreting medical jargons. Tesfamichael said, “This experience is probably the best experience I ever had. It was challenging, as it was my first time to go with the camera crew independently for interviews. I think they were feeling that it was going to be hard for them to do their job. The reality is… we all were happy, because I planned prior and I knew what to do.” The cameraperson who went to the fieldwork with Tesfamichael, Nigusu Gebreyesus, agreed with this: “I was doomed when I was told to go with him. But it did not take me long to realize that he is even better than of some of our producers who do not know what to look for and ask me to record all the pictures in the world for a single show. To be honest, he is the first producer I have ever seen with notes on what to do.”

Tesfamichael asserts that the entire production process went well because he followed his plan. He says that it was not a trend in the Ministry to plan and design a storyline before leaving the office. “My friends spend most of their time in interviewing people as if stories just emerge out of a blue. They sometimes record more than three tapes for nothing.”

Tesfamichael has decided to move forward and continue producing health shows. His confidence in his television production ability is much better at this moment. Tesfamichael says “my hope of knowing better about health show production is reviving. I hope Lakew’s hope of cure will also be met, who knows, my first ever program could influence health care providers.”