In a bid to curb the spread of measles and other preventable diseases, through immunization, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media practitioners to play a leading role in championing measles, Polio, HPV and other Routine Immunization vaccination.
UNICEF’s Social and Behavioral Change Specialist, Mrs. Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, made this call during One-Day Zonal Media Orientation on Non-Polio Supplemental Immunization Integrated Activities (NPSIA), for the Southwest Zone and Edo State organized by Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation with support from UNICEF.
According to her, “we need the media power to amplify the message that measles and other vaccines are safe, necessary, and can save the lives of countless children in Nigeria.
Media professionals are critical partners in eradicating crippling diseases through accurate reporting, public sensitization and combating misinformation.
By ensuring children are vaccinated is not just about individual health but also about safeguarding the wider community.”
Akinola-Akinwole added the gravity of leaving children unvaccinated, saying, “A child that is not vaccinated today poses a threat to other children.”
She stressed that a single unvaccinated child could become a source of infection in public places, which can lead to devastating outbreaks.
She urged the media to take up the responsibility of educating the public, dispelling myths, misconceptions, and rumours and encouraging parents to prioritize their children’s health.
A simple vaccine can shield children from a lifetime of hardship,” she concluded.
In his welcome remarks, the Director of Press and Public Relations, Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation, Mr Rotimi Babalola, emphasised the need to further strengthen the relationship between UNICEF, the Government and the media to improve the health of our children and women.
He said the media is regarded as the critical change agent in creating an environment where issues of knowledge attitude key practices will be improved within our society.
Babalola urged the media to educate the public and dispel myths on their platform through accurate reporting and targeted messaging, article writing, interviews and everything that is needed to get information down to the public.
We can protect vulnerable children from a disease that is preventable with a simple vaccine, He added.
