StarTimes Dedicates TV Programme For COVID-19 Update

Leading digital Pay TV operator and media company in Africa, StarTimes has answered the call of social responsibility with making the most of media platforms for the promotion of public health and COVID-19 pandemic prevention.

Operating in Africa since 2008, StarTimes has naturally created and maintained partnership with 200+ local media, which includes national TV stations of African countries that includes; NTA in Nigeria, TBC in Tanzania and ZNBC in Zambia.

With a firm collaboration to serve the public with timely and accurate information during the pandemic, StarTimes provides official news and knowledge against the virus through a dedicated self-made programme named StarTimes Daily —— COVID-19 Report every weekday across 12 channels in English, French, Portuguese and local languages on StarTimes channels and its streaming mobile app, StarTimes ON.

At a recent video interview chat with the officials of international organizations and governments in Africa, hosted on the StarTimes Daily COVID-19 programme, Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Resident Representative in China and Country Director for Mongolia, noted that “While fear and uncertainty are natural responses to crisis posed by the novel coronavirus, we must stand together in solidarity, which includes fighting the stigma and not the discrimination that has unfortunately been witnessed in many quarters.

Babatunde furthered noted that “we must be vigilant against rumours and myths and misconceptions about COVID-19. There is something that WHO calls an “infodemic” swirling around which is dangerous and damaging. Let’s do our part to ensure that only accurate information is shared at this crucial time.”

Collaborating on what Babatunde said, Osman Koroma, the Health Planning Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Sanitation in Sierra Leone furthered explained that “There’s so much misconception and misinformation about the virus and we hope everyone can focus on the reliable sources of government and other relevant authorities.

His words “I want the public to stop stigmatization against people who are infected. This will not help the fight; it will stop people from seeking treatment, and thereby putting their commodity and country at risk.

“I encourage the public to watch the StarTimes Daily —— COVID-19 Report for easy access to the latest news and knowledge against the COVID-19 pandemic. We want the public to stay safe, and be vigilant, we will defeat the COVID-19 pandemic,” he concluded.