Media Is Doing Its Job But Needs Constant Support, Says Nadeem Chaudhry
Islamabad: Senior health journalist Nadeem Chaudhry told a national breastfeeding dialogue in Islamabad that continuous media engagement is essential to effective public health advocacy. Speaking at the closing panel of the event organised by UNICEF and the Health Services Academy and moderated by Anteneh Girma Minas, Chaudhry argued that international organisations, health authorities and development partners must keep journalists involved throughout the year.
Chaudhry began by thanking the hosts for spotlighting breastfeeding but questioned why the media’s role surfaces only around annual events. He asked, “Whenever there is an annual event, the media is called and asked to play its role, but what happens the rest of the year?” and urged the creation of a structured mechanism to share updates and information so awareness does not fade between campaigns.
Highlighting the practical side of sustained collaboration, Chaudhry urged donor agencies to restore the dedicated media component that once supported health and nutrition projects. He recalled that ten years ago many donors funded media work and asked why that support stopped. He warned that media should be treated as a professional industry partner in long-term advocacy rather than an occasional publicity tool.
Turning to the persistent challenge of formula milk marketing, Chaudhry said commercial interests and political influence keep unethical promotion alive. He pointed out that formula was distributed during recent floods without regard for unsafe conditions and named the distributor as the Chief Minister of Punjab, asking how formula can be prepared where there is not even clean drinking water. Such examples, he said, show why year-round media engagement matters to expose irresponsible relief practices.
Chaudhry also emphasised the media’s role in supporting legislation, noting journalists backed Sindh’s law against aggressive formula marketing and advocated at the federal level. He warned that powerful interests inside parliament block progress and alleged some lawmakers have direct financial stakes in formula brands. Sharing his view of the media’s commitment, he said, media engagement will sustain public awareness and accountability if institutions keep reporters informed and included. “If you walk with the media, the media will walk with you,” he concluded, reaffirming the press’s role in health advocacy.
