Journalists in Sierra Leone have been urged to intensify public awareness campaigns on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), promote responsible antibiotic use and strengthen evidence-based health reporting to help curb the growing public health threat.
The call was made on October 9 during a one-day training on pitching and reporting AMR stories at the Emergency Operations Centre in Freetown. The event brought together 20 journalists from various media organisations to improve their understanding of antimicrobial resistance and develop reporting skills aimed at influencing public behaviour.
The training was convened by Davida Spaine-Solomon, coordinator of the AMR Journalists Training Initiative, who highlighted the media’s role in informing public decisions, challenging misinformation and holding institutions accountable for their responses to health threats, according to a report published by Owl Press on October 12.
Drawing on her recognition at the 2025 Global AMR Media Awards, where she received third prize for the African region, Spaine-Solomon stressed the importance of credible reporting that explains the consequences of antimicrobial resistance for individuals, families and communities.
She said the initiative aimed to equip journalists with practical story ideas, strengthen their ability to scrutinise evidence and amplify the experiences of people affected by resistant infections.
Antibiotic misuse threatens treatment effectiveness
Antimicrobial resistance develops when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites evolve to withstand medicines that would otherwise treat the infections they cause. As a result, infections can become harder to treat, illnesses may last longer, healthcare costs can rise and the risk of severe disease or death can increase.
Dr Ibrahim Franklin Kamara, who addressed the rational use of antibiotics during the training, warned that inappropriate use of these medicines contributes to the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria.
He urged journalists to explain why antibiotics should be used only when medically necessary and in accordance with guidance from qualified healthcare professionals. He also encouraged reporters to challenge misconceptions and discourage people from taking antibiotics without appropriate medical advice.
Pharmacist Kadijatu N. Kamara highlighted the need for coordinated action involving healthcare professionals, public institutions, communities and the media to tackle antimicrobial resistance in Sierra Leone.
She called for sustained public education, responsible prescribing and dispensing practices, and wider awareness of the risks associated with inappropriate medicine use. Radio, television, newspapers and digital platforms, she added, can help extend health messages beyond medical facilities and into communities.
Media urged to investigate public perceptions
Edward Metzger, who discussed community perceptions of antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use, encouraged journalists to investigate how people obtain and use medicines, as well as the beliefs and misconceptions that influence their decisions.
He stressed that reporters should present scientific evidence in accessible language, linking technical health information to everyday experiences and offering practical guidance on responsible antibiotic use.
Representatives of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, the I.B. Taylor-Kamara Foundation, Population Services International, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Policy and Planning, and the National Public Health Agency also contributed to the training.
The initiative receives technical support from the WHO, alongside Women in the Media Sierra Leone, Population Services International and the I.B. Taylor-Kamara Foundation.
The programme concluded with journalists presenting proposed stories on antimicrobial resistance and responsible antibiotic use before receiving certificates of participation.
The organisers emphasised that sustained, evidence-based reporting could help counter misinformation, expose unsafe practices and encourage informed decisions about medicines, complementing wider public health efforts to preserve the effectiveness of existing treatments.
