UNICEF on Wednesday handed over the Critical Appraisal Skills Course for Public Health Reporting to Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India on 29th January 2019 in the esteemed presence of Vikram Gokhle, veteran actor.

The course, designed with a special focus on immunization as one of the most cost-effective means to reduce child mortality, was shared with science writers, journalists and filmmakers attending the 9th National Science Film Festival of India at Chandigarh University.

The ceremony was presided by Dr. Veena Dhawan, Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Maternal Health), Nimish Kapoor, Scientist E, Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Sanjay Abhigyan, Convergence Editor, Amar Ujala and Pankaj Pachauri, Editor, GoNEWS. Acclaimed science and health filmmakers and health reporters from media were also present at the ceremony.

Critical Appraisal Skills workshop engages working correspondents from media covering public health and related issues. The objective of these workshops is to provide an evidence-based framework to editorial teams and their mentors on the need to critically appraise public health-related information.

UNICEF in partnership with University of Oxford, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and The Reuters Foundation conceptualised and developed the Critical Appraisal Skills (CAS) syllabus for working journalists, senior correspondents, faculty and students of media studies.

The CAS syllabus is being offered by the University of Oxford to public health professionals in the UK and has been adapted for Indian media professionals and students in 2015-16.

Vigyan Prasar (VP) is a national institution for science communication and an autonomous organization under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. The principal objective of Vigyan Prasar is to serve India’s science popularization agenda. Vigyan Prasar is engaged with science filmmakers, science journalists, communicators and other stakeholders through a variety of science communication programmes including science film festivals and workshops. Vigyan Prasar in collaboration with UNICEF is planning to conduct a series of workshops on Critical Appraisal Skills Course for Public Health Reporting for journalists and media students across the country.