The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media outlets and key stakeholders to champion health education and awareness, especially in rural communities, to combat the growing spread of misinformation about polio vaccines and other public health efforts.
UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr. Emmanuel Alebiosu, made the appeal on Tuesday at a one-day media dialogue themed “Reporting Polio: Covering Gaps and Milestones,” held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Alebiosu described traditional media as a trustworthy and vital tool in tackling misinformation and disinformation, especially in an age where false narratives quickly circulate via social platforms.
He emphasized the need for the media to actively engage communities – not just to encourage vaccine acceptance, but also to challenge harmful stereotypes and rumours that threaten the success of public health campaigns.
Dr. Alebiosu noted that while the media plays a critical role in achieving universal health coverage and addressing health disparities, it also presents challenges due to the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, and rumours – particularly through social media.
Echoing his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Nusirat Elelu, called on journalists to step up the delivery of accurate and timely health information. She stressed that doing so would support government initiatives aimed at improving overall health outcomes.
Elelu, who was represented by Micheal Oguntoye, stated that the state’s upcoming integrated health campaigns – set to begin on November 29, 2025 – will include two major components: the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, and the rollout of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
Elelu noted that the campaigns are designed to deliver “a package of high-impact, low-cost interventions” aimed at reducing illness and death among women and children.
Key services will include routine immunisation, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, nutrition screening, and growth monitoring for children under five. She added that approximately 200,000 pregnant women are expected to benefit from antenatal care services tailored to enhance maternal health.
She explained that the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week will run concurrently with the HPV vaccination campaign, which targets nine-year-old girls who missed the initial national rollout. She stressed the importance of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical cancer and urged parents and caregivers to ensure eligible girls are vaccinated.
Meanwhile, WHO representative Dr Gwomson Dauda praised the efforts of state officials, partners, and health workers during the October Measles-Rubella campaign. He encouraged them to apply the lessons learned to achieve broader coverage and better outcomes in future health drives.
According to WHO, maternal health encompasses the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
The leading causes of maternal illness and death include severe bleeding (haemorrhage), infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia/eclampsia), unsafe abortions, and complications from obstructed labour.
