The Nigerian Red Cross (NRC) has advised women journalists to ensure regular medical check-up to prevent any challenges that may stand as impediments in the discharge of their duties.
The NRC Acting Branch Secretary in Osun, Mr Tolulope Ogunleye, gave the advice on Saturday in Osogbo at the closing of a three day training organised by Norwegian Union of Journalists and Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
Ogunleye said that the workshop was organised to train and retrain women journalists on gender equity and safety.
According to the secretary, most journalists in their workplace never pay attention to issues concerning their health and that has really led to hundreds of them losing their lives.
The Red Cross official gave some immediate safety tips that could be administered on any casualty during an emergency situation.
Some of the safety tips included saving someone with a heart attack, someone who had slumped, someone drowning, a diabetic and someone with severe cuts on the body among others cases.
“The safety tips will help to ensure that first aid treatment is adequately and professionally administered on anyone in a critical moment before the arrival of a qualified medical personnel or doctor.
“ If we have knowledge of the tips, we can easily apply them on anyone who happens to be a casualty, especially in our workplaces,” Ogunleye said.
He urged journalists to always check their blood pressure, get adequate rest from work and also report any signs, symptoms or medical history to their doctors early.
Mrs Veronica Ogbole, a veteran journalist and trainee on gender equity and safety, commended the Red Cross personnel for the safety tips impacted on the participants, adding that a lot had been learned.
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Ogbole urged the participants to take all that they had learnt to their respective media organisations and train their colleagues.
Mrs Rafat Salami, a staff of Voice of Nigeria (VON) said that all the skills, lectures and training acquired would go a long way in preparing women journalists for the challenges ahead in their workplace.
Salami said the workshop had further helped in championing the call for gender equity and fairness which was missing in most media organisations and other key establishments in the country.
She thanked the Norwegian Union of Journalists for the support towards ensuring that the workshop was held in order to develop the capacity of women in the profession.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop is an initiative of the International Federation of Journalists working with the Federation of African Journalists, NUJ, and the National Association of Journalists.
NAN also reports that 25 journalists from various media organisations participated in the three-day programme.
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