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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Federal ministry of health has solicited the support of the media in its activities, to enable health seeking Nigerians have good and timely access to quality information about their health and other related issues.
The Ministry acknowledged the importance of media as critical stakeholders in the success of Universal Health Coverage (UCH) and several other programmes of the Ministry targeted at providing quality health care opportunities for Nigerians.
It, thus, announced a launch of five-year strategic plan that would strengthen relationship with journalists and other media stakeholders to achieve better coverage of its activities.
Director, Health Promotion Division of Ministry, Bako Aiyegbusi, who represented the Director, Family Health, Dr. Salma Ibrahim Anas, at the maiden media engagement strategy in Abuja, for health promotion in Nigeria, disclosed that the media engagement programme will run from 2021-2025, with greater input from the media stakeholders.
She said the objectives of the media engagement strategy was to establish parameters to guide and manage the working relationship between the health promotion division of the federal ministry of health and the country’s media sector; articulate approaches to leverage potentials and facilitating linkages and collaboration among key stakeholders, audiences, media platforms and outlets for health information sharing and public engagement, and serve as a template for adaptation at state and local government levels, reflecting their own circumstances and objective realities.
She explained that the media engagement was also aimed at getting acquainted with journalists covering the ministry, and also using the opportunity to source avenues for media reportage of health activities as the critical role of the media in creating awareness on issues of public interest cannot be overemphasized.
Aiyegbusi said: “The strategy was also aimed at providing guideline on how the health sector would work effectively with the media sector to increase awareness and reportage of reproductive, maternal, new-born, child adolescent, and elderly health, plus nutrition, and other essential health services at both the federal and sub-national levels.”
A veteran broadcaster, Moji Makanjuola, who was one of the resource persons, stressed the need for close working relationship with with media to achieve the goals and objectives of federal government as regards health sector.
Makanjuola told the Ministry officials that carrying the media along in its activities will create a bond between them and the media which would engender cordial and good working relationship.
She advised journalists to put the interest of the nation above all in carrying out their responsibilities. “It’s important you take charge of providing authentic health information to Nigerians to avoid quacks and non-professionals taking over the space to misinform Nigerians.
In his remarks, the President, Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ), Hassan Zaggi, regretted that since the past few years, the federal ministry of health has not been friendly with journalists, hence, the gap in the provision of adequate health related information to Nigerians.
He, however, commended Mrs. Aiyegbusi, for her doggedness and resilience in ensuring the division comes to limelight, and urged her to put more effort to ensure the sustainability of the engagement strategy.
The high point of the meeting was the inauguration of interim leadership for the Health-In-Media Coalition (HMC). The Director of the Health Promotion Division of the Federal Ministry of Health emerged as the Chairman of the HMC, while Mr. Hassan Zaggi, ANHEJ President emerged as co-chairman.
