The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) sponsored the one-day event, which was held on Friday in Abuja and attracted media professionals from all around the nation.
The meeting, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was intended to increase the media's understanding of diphtheria, assist them in understanding their duties and responsibilities, and identify crucial areas to support the ongoing outbreak response across the nation.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib of the NPHCDA praised and complimented both national and state media stations' efforts to promote health programs, particularly the ongoing Diphtheria Outbreak Response in their respective states, in his introductory remarks.
Shuaib, who was represented by Mrs. Aisha Tukur, the Agency's Acting Director of Advocacy and Communication, stressed that both the Federal Government and Development Partners understood the media's critical function in fostering national development.
He emphasized the government's reliance on the media to educate Nigerians about diphtheria and other primary healthcare services offered in the nation.
Shuaib also praised NCDC and Development Partners for collaborating with NPHCDA to co-facilitate the media orientation meeting. He expressed the hope that the collaboration will continue after the Diphtheria Outbreak Response.
NPHCDA and NCDC were commended for their efforts in facilitating the session by Margaret Soyemi, Head of Social and Behavioral Change Communication at UNICEF, who spoke on behalf of partners.
Soyemi praised the media stakeholders for their ongoing assistance and dedication to educating the public about health initiatives, particularly Diphtheria, at the national and subnational levels.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), NPHCDA, NCDC, FMoH, Federal Ministry of Information (FMol), and NAN were among the organizations represented during the conference, according to NAN.
Additionally, representatives from the seven priority states (Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Yobe) as well as from national and state media (broadcast and print) as well as development partners including UNICEF, BA-N, Red Cross, WHO, ICAP, and others were present.