The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged media organisations and key stakeholders to take a leading role in health education, particularly in rural communities, to fight the growing spread of misinformation about polio vaccination and other public health programs.
Okay News reports that Dr Emmanuel Alebiosu, a Health Specialist with UNICEF, made the appeal on Tuesday during a one-day media dialogue titled “Reporting Polio: Covering Gaps and Milestones,” held in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, Nigeria.
Dr Alebiosu described conventional media as a trusted platform that is essential for countering false information, especially in an era where social media rapidly spreads rumours and disinformation. He stressed the need for journalists to continue mobilising communities not only to promote vaccination but also to challenge myths and stereotypes that hinder public health campaigns.
He said, “The role of the media in achieving universal coverage and addressing health gaps cannot be overemphasised. But we must acknowledge that it is also a platform that poses a challenge due to the ease of spreading misinformation, disinformation and rumours, especially with the advent of social media.”
Also addressing participants, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Nusirat Elelu, called on journalists to intensify the dissemination of accurate and timely information to complement government efforts in improving health outcomes. Elelu, represented by Micheal Oguntoye, explained that the state’s integrated health campaigns, initially scheduled to begin on November 29, 2025, will include Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
According to Elelu, the campaigns aim to deliver “a package of high-impact, low-cost interventions” that will reduce illness and death among women and children. Services include routine immunisation, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, nutrition screening, and growth monitoring for children under five. Approximately 200,000 pregnant women are expected to access antenatal services designed to improve maternal health.
The Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week will run alongside the HPV vaccination initiative targeting nine-year-old girls who missed the initial national rollout. Elelu emphasised that the HPV vaccine is one of the most effective tools in preventing cervical cancer, urging parents and caregivers to ensure eligible girls receive the vaccine.
Dr Gwomson Dauda, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), praised the efforts of state officials, development partners, and health workers during the October Measles-Rubella campaign. He encouraged them to build on lessons learned to achieve broader coverage and better outcomes in future health campaigns.
According to the World Health Organisation, maternal health encompasses the well-being of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Major causes of maternal illness and death include haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour.
