Awka from Emmanuel Uzor
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that Nigeria is the country with the highest number of child deaths from preventable diseases.
Speaking at a UNICEF media training session, Dr. Ifeyinwa Ani Osheku, Executive Director, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Authority, said the under-five mortality rate is 100 per 1,000 live births and preventable diseases. He was said to have died.
“In Nigeria, the under-five mortality rate is 100 deaths per 1,000 live births, as well as preventable diseases such as measles contributing significantly to this figure,” she said. .
UNICEF, in collaboration with primary health agencies, has planned to vaccinate 5 million children against measles and other deadly diseases.
Dr. Ifeyinwa Ani Osheku delivered a keynote address entitled “Media: The most powerful tool to save lives and ensure a healthy future” at the South East Regional Conference on Media and Immunization Campaigns, providing information on your work. He praised the efforts of the media to spread the word. of national and state primary health care development agencies;
Participants in the training included UNICEF partners, media professionals and staff from the advocacy and communication departments of Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs) selected from five states: Anambra, Enugu, Cross River, Kogi and Benue. It was included.
Ani Osek regretted the grim statistics of children dying from vaccine-preventable diseases caused by myths and rumors, attributing them to the failure of collective systems and effective communication.
Around 2.5 million children still die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases around the world, but sub-Saharan Africa, with its often weak health systems, bears the greatest burden, Ani Osek said. It accounts for almost half of the world’s child deaths.
She said the upcoming measles control campaign, which will cover 24 states, is critical and cited dispelling misinformation, positive behavior change, and other key areas that the media must leverage to make the campaign successful. The aim is to promote the promotion of health and the provision of life-saving information.
She also highlighted building consistency of trust, leveraging influencers, storytelling with data, targeted messaging, and interactive platforms as strategies to ensure effective campaigns.
“We are here to discuss an issue that is at the heart of our collective mission: the health of our people, especially our children. We are committed not only as leaders and advocates, but also to the health and safety of people who save lives.” We are here to be the very bridge between the intervention and the communities we serve.
“The media is more than just a carrier of news, it is a lifeline for millions of families seeking health information, guidance and assurance. The power of media in health.
All forms of media – television, radio, print, and the vast digital space – have the power to shape perceptions, influence behavior, and inspire action.
“The media is our most powerful tool, especially in the fight against preventable diseases through vaccination. It dispels fear, replaces rumors with facts, and empowers individuals to make decisions that could save their lives or the lives of their loved ones. You can encourage them to lower it.
“Social media spaces are already abuzz with misinformation and negative claims that, if left unchecked, could undermine years of progress in reducing child mortality from preventable diseases.”
The children targeted for vaccination against measles, polio, yellow fever, human papillomavirus and HPV have been selected from Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Cross Rodgers and Kogi states.
