The Nasarawa State Government has trained 20 journalists as part of efforts to enhance public awareness and coverage of the upcoming Measles-Rubella (MR) integrated vaccination campaign.
Speaking at the opening of the one-day media orientation held in Lafia, the state capital, the Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Dr. Ibrahim Tanko, emphasised the vital role of the media in disseminating accurate health information to the public in various local dialects.
Dr. Tanko noted that effective media engagement is essential for the success of the vaccination campaign, particularly in reaching rural communities with limited access to healthcare information.
The commissioner said the essence of the orientation is to ensure effective dissemination of information about the Measles-Rubella Virus (MRV) vaccine by increasing public awareness and uptake of the vaccine at the grassroots level.
He, therefore, charged journalists with the responsibility of informing and educating the public about the upcoming Measles and Rubella Vaccination (MRV) exercise in October.
“There is a need for journalists to intensify efforts toward eradicating measles and rubella through media awareness campaigns across the state,” he added.
Also speaking, Executive Secretary of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Usman Iskilu Saleh, said the campaign is very crucial because measles-rubella is one of the dangerous diseases that is killing children under five years, adding that the media is one of the major partners that would educate parents and caregivers in accepting the routine immunisation for children.
Represented by the Director of Immunisation, Mr Ismaila Okoh, the Executive Secretary commended the state government, stakeholders and other development partners for their support to ensure the success of eradicating the scourge among the children.
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He urged the media to utilise the knowledge gained from the training for effective and sustainable dissemination of information.
Dr Saleh explained that the vaccine, which combined the Measles and Rubella antigens in a single dose, would be administered as one vaccine to children from nine months to fourteen years.
On their part, the State Technical Assistant of the World Health Organisation, WHO Hajiya Hassaina Usman Ibrahim, and AFENET Technical Assistant, Dr A.K Olawuyi, said as partners in the campaign against measles-rubella, the media have the duty to contribute to achieving a hundred in the fight against the menace.
They added that the public always relies on the media to get proper information about measles-rubella and how it can be prevented.
During a paper presentation on the Role of Media in Health Reporting, a renowned broadcaster, Mr. Kalu Idika, highlighted the media’s potential in shaping the public perception of the newly introduced vaccine.
He appealed to journalists to give prominence to MRV in their news and editorials to ensure the public receives accurate information.
One of the media practitioners who participated in the training, Mr Isaac Ukpoju, expressed hope with the orientation received, promising to contribute his quota towards eliminating measles-rubella among the target population in Nasarawa State.