X-ray of a human lung.
Pace Center for Global Health

Journalist Training Workshops

Elevating Lung Health

José Luis Castro with the team at the workshop in South Africa
José Luis Castro greeting attendees at an event during the workshop in South Africa
Two of the speakers at the World COPD Day conference in Malaysia, Jose Luis Castro and Dr. Somasundaram, posing together
Jose Luis Castro and Sonia Suchday at the media training workshop in Malaysia

José Luis Castro with the team at the journalist training workshop in South Africa

José Luis Castro greeting the attendees at one of the event during the journalist training workshop in South Africa

The two keynote speakers - José Luis Castro and Dr. Saunthari Somasundaram - posing together at the press conference held in Malaysia in anticipation of World COPD Day.

José Luis Castro and Sonia Suchday representing Pace Center for Global Health on the panel at press conference in Malaysia hosted to raise awareness about chronic respiratory diseases.

The Silent Epidemic Demands a Louder Voice

Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRDs) like asthma and COPD affect half a billion people worldwide and claim over 3.5 million lives annually. Yet, they remain dangerously under-reported and underfunded, receiving a fraction of the media coverage dedicated to other global health crises.

In strategic collaboration with Jose Luis Castro, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General’s Special Envoy for CRDs, and sponsored by Sanofi Regeneron, the Pace Center for Global Health is confronting this crisis head-on. By addressing a critical gap in health reporting: the underrepresentation of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

This program equips journalists from across the world with the knowledge, tools, and access to experts needed to report on these diseases with greater accuracy, depth, and impact. Through immersive training sessions, field visits, and engagement with leading researchers and affected communities, the workshops empower journalists to tell compelling, evidence-based stories that raise awareness, reduce stigma, and drive meaningful public health action.

Launched with its inaugural workshop in Mexico City, this growing global initiative continues across regions—including Malaysia and South Africa—building a network of informed storytellers committed to elevating CRDs on the global agenda. This comprehensive journalist training program is designed to educate and empower over 75 journalists from 40 countries during a period of two years. Our goal is to equip these journalists with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively report on CRDs, thereby raising public awareness and fostering informed dialogue about these often-overlooked health challenges.

75+

Journalist Trained

40

Countries Reached

2

Year Initiative