The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has charged media organisations and other critical stakeholders to champion health education and enlightenment initiatives in rural communities across Nigeria.
Hassan Saidu, UNICEF Health Specialist, gave the charge during a one-day media dialogue titled “Reporting Polio: Covering Gaps and Milestones,” held in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
Saidu described the conventional media as a credible and reliable platform whose responsibilities include countering misinformation and disinformation in today’s world.
He said, “The role of media in achieving universal coverage and addressing health gaps cannot be overemphasised.
“But we must acknowledge the fact that it is also a platform that poses a great challenge due to the risk of ease in transmission of misinformation, disinformation and rumours, especially with the advent of social media platforms.”
He stressed that, “We rely and count on conventional and verifiable media outlets to mitigate those risks by passing credible, resourceful and transformative information, addressing misinformation, disinformation, rumours and furthermore community reorientation, enlightenment towards progressive and positive health behaviour.”
The UNICEF Representative commended the Yobe State government for its commitment to developing primary healthcare.
He said, “Congratulations to Yobe for winning the zonal championship for the 2024 PHC Leadership Challenge Fund.
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“Over the years, this state’s commitment has elicited health sector-wide reforms and strategic positioning of the health sector leadership through resource allocations for health, appointment of technical and dedicated personnel in key MDAs and the present government’s key interest and close support and monitoring of the health sector,” he noted.
He emphasised that in 2024, Yobe State met the Abuja declaration for resource allocation to the health sector, with an allocation of 15% of the State budget to health and a modest health sector budget performance of 44%, according to the NGF State Health Sector Profile 2025.
“All these are in a bid to have an equitable, accessible, responsive health sector and to actualise universal health coverage,” he stated.
