In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a lot of fake news and misleading information going around. People are frustrated because they are not sure how to cope with this deadly virus. To help reassure people, Rhodes University academics are working around the clock to assist the community to deal with this challenge.
“After seeing the impact Covid-19 is having on our community and the rest of the nation, I decided to have a radio and online workshop on Covid-19, on behalf of our Faculty. The aim is to share information using isiXhosa as a local language because so many mother-tongue speakers are also dealing with uncertainty” explained Senior Lecturer at the Pharmacy Department, Dr Nosiphiwe Ngqwala.
The workshop, which commenced on 6 April 2020, includes discussions, tips, interviews, tools and resources to help with community activation. This is done in partnership with Umhlobo Wenene FM, Rhodes Music Radio (RMR) and other Eastern Cape community radio stations. Dr Ngqwala is live on RMR from 14h00 every weekday this week and next week. She will be live on Umhlobo Wenene FM on Sunday, 12 April 2020. She has had three sessions with Umhlobo Wenene FM to discussing monitoring and evaluation of the protective gear and the stigmatization on the virus, cautioning people not to stigmatize those that test positive.
“Next week we will host different stakeholders such as medical doctors, historians, sociologists, pharmacists, psychologists and scientists with the hope to enlighten the community at large. The shows will be combined in a podcast and shared on RMR’s website for people to access,” she added.
- RMR can be found at 89.7FM (Iono.fm/s/70).
- Umhlobo Wenene FM can be found at 88-106.8 MHz and Channel 818 on DSTV