By Yomi Durojaye
The Association of Practitioners of Community Media (APCOM) is proud to announce a landmark initiative in partnership with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board and Nigeria Health Watch. This collaborative effort aims to address the pressing issue of health misinformation within communities.
 |
| Tackling Health Misinformation Through Community Media: A Landmark Initiative |
The launch of this joint initiative was announced during an interactive session held in Lagos on Tuesday, August 27th, 2024. APCOM's National President, Mr. Abayomi Adejumo, led the session, which marked the beginning of a concerted effort to promote accurate health information and dispel harmful misconceptions.
Through this partnership, APCOM, Nigeria Health Watch, and the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board are committed to empowering communities with reliable health knowledge, fostering a culture of informed decision-making, and ultimately improving health outcomes.
The partnership aims to:
- Develop and disseminate accurate health information
- Counter misinformation and myths
- Promote health literacy
- Support community-led health initiatives
- Strengthen the capacity of community media practitioners to report on health issues accurately
Mr. Abara Etim, Program Manager of Nigeria Health Watch, emphasized the importance of community media practitioners in disseminating health information to community dwellers. "We cannot achieve this alone, but with a smooth collaboration with community media practitioners, we can create impact."
Mrs. Temidayo Adewuyi, Public Health Officer from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, representing the Primary Health Care Board, praised the initiative. "This is a laudable initiative that we would like to key into. We have executed various health programs in the past, and health advocacy is one of our top priorities."
Mr. Oloyede Kolawole, Acting Public Relations Officer of APCOM, thanked the representatives of Nigeria Health Watch and the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board for creating an opportunity for deliberation. He urged them to continue communicating with community media practitioners, emphasizing APCOM's readiness to partner with them.
