Zaria: UNICEF has engaged journalists from Kaduna State, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kwara to improve the coverage of health and education issues. This initiative aims to enhance media involvement at all levels to strengthen engagement terms that promote the reporting and broadcasting of health and education programs.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, UNICEF’s intervention priorities for the four states include reducing the number of zero-dose children in the health sector and decreasing the number of out-of-school children in the education sector. During a dialogue session in Zaria, Kaduna State, Dr. Sule Meleh, a Health Specialist with UNICEF, urged the media to actively participate in raising awareness about these issues through news and program content. The goal is to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria.
Meleh emphasized that the media dialogue’s purpose was to gather journalists to discuss maternal and infant mortality issues. Additionally, it aimed to identify the significant challenges
pregnant women face, from antenatal to postnatal care, and explore potential solutions. He highlighted that the media are valuable partners in publicizing UNICEF’s health and education interventions, encouraging public engagement considering the 2023 maternal mortality and infant death indices across the states.
Meleh explained that involving journalists would significantly connect the population with services offered by UNICEF and other NGOs. He assured journalists of further collaboration to achieve the target objectives. Similarly, Isa Yusha’u, Kaduna State Education Officer, Primary Health Care Development Agency, noted that media practitioners could reach millions through their news coverage and program content. He expressed confidence that the discussions would positively impact maternal, newborn, and child health improvements across the four states.
Bala Dada, the Education Officer at UNICEF’s Kaduna Field Office, indicated that the engagement provided journalists with information about UNICEF’s prog
rams in collaboration with the government. He explained that UNICEF works closely with state governments to address state-specific interventions and priorities, particularly concerning out-of-school children and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN).
Dada expressed concern over recent data indicating a rise in out-of-school children and stated that UNICEF collaborates with government partners and other education sector players to implement interventions to curb this trend in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kwara. The media engagement aims to inform journalists about UNICEF’s activities, methods, and objectives.
The specialist stressed the importance of coordination between development partners and government efforts. Comprehensive data collection is crucial for accurately locating out-of-school children in communities, enhancing the targeting and effectiveness of interventions. Hadiza Muhammad, UNICEF’s Communication/Advocacy/Partnerships Officer, Kaduna Field Office, noted that the two-day dialogue would b
enefit women and children in the four states and Nigeria as a whole.
Salisu Lawal, Director of Planning at the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, described the media engagement as timely, considering the educational sector’s numerous challenges, which can be significantly mitigated by the media. He characterized the media as critical stakeholders in awareness creation and influencing government policies.
Kaduna State, facing a high burden of out-of-school children, was the first to access a loan from the Islamic Development Bank to address the issue. The program aims to return 200,000 out-of-school children to school by constructing more schools, renovating structures, and improving school management statewide.
NAN reports that a paper titled “Digital Reports and Use of Social Media” was presented by Ahmed Maiyaki, Managing Director of Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC). He stressed the need for innovation and advancement in journalism amid the social media era when citizen journalists post content wit
hout adhering to ethics. Dr. Murjanatu Abba of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria conducted a practical session on developing storylines and media action plans for health and education programs.
Journalists from the four states commended UNICEF for the dialogue, pledging their commitment to ensuring the engagement’s objectives are achieved in their respective states. They urged state government officials, especially Public Relations Officers in MDAs, to be transparent and provide information when needed by journalists, emphasizing that access to information aids their work. They also committed to upholding journalism ethics and protecting their sources when necessary.