The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media organisations to develop innovative strategies to raise awareness and correct misconceptions surrounding immunisation, particularly in communities across Nigeria.
In the Southwest, myths, misconceptions and cultural beliefs have been significant contributors to vaccine hesitancy, especially regarding childhood immunisations.
According to the 2022 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) by the National Bureau of Statistics, polio vaccination coverage in the region remains low.
At a media dialogue in Lagos, attended by journalists from various media platforms, UNICEF emphasised that vaccination is a simple, safe and effective means of protecting children from harmful diseases and preventable deaths.
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The event was organised by the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board in collaboration with UNICEF, aiming to support the health sector’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the over two million Nigerian children at risk of death due to lack of immunisation.
The dialogue’s objective was to promote routine immunisation and reduce the number of children missing out on vaccinations, ensuring no child is left behind.
UNICEF Social Behaviour Change Communication Specialist, Aderonke Akinola Akinwole, urged the media and other stakeholders to develop creative ways to raise community awareness, dispel misconceptions, and encourage parents to vaccinate their children.
Akinwole stressed the importance of adequate sensitisation to ensure public acceptance of vaccinations, which are crucial for protecting children from diseases like diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and measles.
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