FG regrets underutilisation of media by health sector

The Federal Government has expressed dismay over the underutilisation of media by the public health sector despite its enormous potential to disseminate, educate and enlighten the masses on well being in the country.

The government said there is a need to strengthen engagement with media institutions and improve strategic communication tools, working with various media platforms to drive social and behaviour change communication and influence attitudes towards Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAEH+N).

Speaking at the 2021 Media Parley with CEOs of Media Institutions and Dissemination of RMNCAEH+N Coordination Platform on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said public engagement of the media by the Federal Ministry of Health happens on a case-by-case basis.

Ehanire further pointed out that there is no blueprint to define the process, resulting in missed opportunities to achieve national goals and targets relating to public enlightenment of individuals, service providers, decision-makers and influencers, with regard to health and wellbeing.

Ehanire, however, disclosed that going forward and building on the success of the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent, Health plus Nutrition Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Coordination Platform, the Ministry of Health has begun activating the Coordination Platform Annual Operation Plan 2021.

This he said, sustainable mechanisms have been instituted for improved collaboration with the media in reconstructing societal views on health issues affecting women, children, adolescents and the elderly.

“Such mechanisms are finalising revision of the Integrated National Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health plus Nutrition Social and Behaviour Change Strategy.”

Ehanire stressed that the roll-out of a revised strategy using existing government, private and traditional media structures of television, radio, print, social, and local media platforms will empower the people with information on household practices to make informed choices and take timely actions to ensure their health and wellbeing.

“Developed the maiden Media Engagement Strategy for Health Promotion, aiming to set out mechanisms, arrangements and prescribe ways to harness available tools for publicity, information sharing and public engagement, in order to empower Nigerians to make informed choices for healthier living.

“Developed the draft Health-in-Media Coalition Charter, an ancillary document of the Media Engagement Strategy for Health Promotion.

“The Charter articulates arrangements that guide partnership between Federal Ministry of Health, Media Outlets and Regulatory Agencies to improve health and wellbeing of Nigerians with focus on the vulnerable population.

“It outlines roles and responsibilities of each arm of the coalition which is a management and coordination structure including an itemisation of steps for grievance resolution and periodic reviews,” Ehanire added.

Ehanire noted that the current COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the media literacy of adults and young people.

This means that access to understanding and creating communication with both traditional and new media platforms such as text messaging, social networking and mobile phone is commonplace.

“Statistics indicate that in January 2020, the percentage of users of the various media platforms in Nigeria were, 169.2 million (83 per cent) mobile connections users, 85.49 million (42 per cent) internet users, and 27.00 million (13 per cent) social media users.

“In today’s technology-driven world, access to the latest news is at the touch of a button on television or radio even while commuting to the workplace or school,” he added.

Ehanire further reiterated the effective communication through mass media as it can be used to heighten awareness of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health plus Nutrition as topics for public discussion and to influence legislation and resource allocation for issues of RMNCAEH+N and awareness of where to access it.

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FG regrets underutilisation of media by health sector