The Coordinating Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), convened a Media Orientation Meeting on Diphtheria Outbreak Response in the country.

The one-day workshop, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and held on Friday in Abuja, drew journalists and communication personnel from across the country.

The meeting was to improve the media’s knowledge of Diphtheria, helping them understand their roles and responsibilities, and identifying key areas to support the ongoing outbreak response in the country.

In his remarks, Faisal Shuaib of the NPHCDA, commended the efforts of both National and State Media Stations in promoting health programmes, especially the ongoing Diphtheria Outbreak Response in their respective states.

Mr Shuaib, who was represented by the Acting Director of Advocacy and Communication at the Agency, Aisha Tukur, emphasized that the federal government and development partners recognised the media’s vital role in nation-building.

He underscored the government’s reliance on the media to create awareness and sensitize Nigerians on Diphtheria and other primary health care services.

Mr Shuaib also commended NCDC and development partners for co-facilitating the meeting with NPHCDA and expressed the hope that the partnership would continue beyond the outbreak response.

In her goodwill message, Margaret Soyemi, Head of Social and Behavioral Change Communication at UNICEF, who spoke on behalf of partners, praised the efforts of NPHCDA and NCDC for facilitating the workshop.

Mrs Soyemi thanked the media for their support and commitment to creating awareness and sensitizing the public on health programmes, especially Diphtheria, at national and subnational levels.

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

Additionally, representatives from national and state media (broadcast and print) from the seven priority states (Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Yobe) were present, as were development partners, including UNICEF, BA-N, Red Cross, WHO, ICAP, and others.

(NAN)