Health Ministry Collaborates with Media to Boost Diphtheria Outbreak Response

The Coordinating Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Nigeria has partnered with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to organize a Media Orientation Meeting on the Diphtheria Outbreak Response in the country. The one-day workshop, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), was held in Abuja and brought together journalists and communication personnel from various regions of Nigeria.

The primary objective of the meeting was to enhance the media’s understanding of Diphtheria, clarify their roles and responsibilities, and identify key areas for supporting the ongoing Outbreak Response in the country. This initiative recognized the media’s crucial role in raising awareness about public health programs and diseases like Diphtheria.

Dr. Faisal Shuaib of the NPHCDA, who addressed the attendees, commended National and State Media Stations for their efforts in promoting health programs, especially the Diphtheria Outbreak Response in their respective regions. He highlighted the significant role of the media in building awareness and educating the Nigerian population about Diphtheria and other primary healthcare services.

Dr. Shuaib, who was represented by Mrs. Aisha Tukur, the Acting Director of Advocacy and Communication at NPHCDA, emphasized the government’s reliance on the media to create awareness and sensitize Nigerians on various health-related issues. He praised the collaboration between NCDC, development partners, and NPHCDA in facilitating the Media Orientation Meeting and expressed hopes for continued partnership beyond the Diphtheria Outbreak Response.

Margaret Soyemi, Head of Social and Behavioral Change Communication at UNICEF, representing development partners, commended the efforts of NPHCDA and NCDC in organizing the workshop. She extended her gratitude to media stakeholders for their ongoing support and commitment to raising awareness and sensitizing the public about health programs, particularly the Diphtheria outbreak, at both the national and subnational levels.

Participants from NPHCDA, NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Federal Ministry of Information (FMol), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) attended the meeting.

Additionally, representatives from national and state media outlets (both broadcast and print) from seven priority states, including Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Yobe, were present. Development partners, including UNICEF, BA-N, Red Cross, WHO, and ICAP, also participated in the event. The collaboration between the Health Ministry and the media aims to increase public understanding of Diphtheria and the importance of vaccination, supporting the country’s response to the outbreak.