MEDIA PRACTITIONERS CHARGED TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS IN EDUCATING COMMUNITIES TOWARDS SUCCESS OF IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMS.
BY UZAIRU DAUDA BUNGA:
Media practitioners in Bauchi State have been charrged to intensify efforts in educating communities to ensure the success of immunization programs.
The Information Officer , Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board , Alhaji Ibrahim Sani, , during an event on building vaccine champions among media professionals, organized by Breakthrough Action Nigeria, held in Azare, Katagum Local goverment Area.
Alhaji Ibrahim Sani emphasized that with effective media messaging on immunization, issues such as zero-dose cases, non-compliance, and disease outbreaks could be significantly reduced, and encouraged media professionals to work closely with the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board to foster a healthier community across the state.
Presenting an overview of the Breakthrough Action project in Bauchi State, Alhaji Nura Bashir Faggo, the state’s Social and Behavioral Change Communication Officer, highlighted the positive impact of the project on community health, crediting media role in improving health reporting, which has contributed to the success of the project.
According to him, despite the project’s nearing completion, Alhaji Nura Bashir noted that Breakthrough Action has continued to engage in interventions related to tuberculosis, yellow fever, Lassa fever, and global health security.
He recalled that the Global Health Security initiative began in October 2021 as a six-month pilot program in Bauchi and Toro Local Government Areas, and later expanded to Tafawa Balewa and Kirfi Local Government Areas.
Alhaji Faggo stressed that without media’s active involvement, public health emergencies can not be effectively addressed, and urged journalists to adopt solution-oriented health reporting strategies to further improve the well-being of communities across Bauchi State.
