By Ladi Dapson, Maiduguri
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media organisations and other critical stakeholders to intensify health education and public enlightenment efforts in rural communities across Nigeria.
UNICEF Health Specialist, Hassan Saidu, made the call during a one-day media dialogue titled “Reporting Polio: Covering Gaps and Milestones,” held in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
Hassan described the conventional media as a credible and reliable platform, adding that its responsibilities include countering misinformation and disinformation in today’s media environment.
He said, “The role of the media in achieving universal health coverage and addressing health gaps cannot be overemphasised.
“But we must acknowledge that the media space also presents challenges due to the ease with which misinformation, disinformation, and rumours spread, especially with the advent of social media platforms.”
He stressed that UNICEF relies on conventional and verifiable media outlets to mitigate these risks by providing credible, resourceful, and transformative information, countering falsehoods, and promoting community reorientation and positive health behaviour.
The UNICEF representative also commended the Yobe State Government for its commitment to strengthening primary healthcare.
He said, “Congratulations to Yobe for winning the zonal championship for the 2024 PHC Leadership Challenge Fund. Over the years, the state’s commitment has spurred health sector–wide reforms and strategic repositioning of health leadership through increased resource allocation, the appointment of technical personnel in key MDAs, and the present government’s close support and monitoring of the sector.”
Hassan noted that in 2024, Yobe State met the Abuja Declaration benchmark for health funding by allocating 15 percent of its budget to the sector, achieving a modest budget performance of 44 percent, according to the NGF State Health Sector Profile 2025.
“All these efforts aim to build an equitable, accessible, and responsive health sector and to actualise universal health coverage,” he added.
