UNICEF, FG Urge Nigerian Media to Lead Campaign Against Neglected Tropical Diseases

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Federal Government of Nigeria have called on journalists and media organisations across the country to take the lead in driving behavioural change toward the elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) nationwide.

The Executive Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Hon. Idowu Adejumoke Senbanjo, has called on youth representatives from the council area to be exemplary ambassadors of Lagos State and Nigeria as they depart for the African Union Leadership Youth Summit holding in Ethiopia.

She identified poverty, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean water as major drivers of NTDs, urging communities to adopt cleaner and healthier lifestyles to end the cycle of disease and deprivation.

“Poverty is a vicious cycle of ill health and deprivation. When people live in unclean environments, they are more likely to fall sick. Illness limits productivity and deepens poverty,” Rafique said, emphasising the importance of hygiene and sanitation in improving child development and community wellbeing.

She added that strengthening Nigeria’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems was critical to achieving disease control, noting that the media plays a vital role in raising awareness and shaping positive public attitudes.

“The media serves as the eyes, ears, and voice of society you can raise awareness, shape behavior, and change lives. Behavioral change is not easy, but the media plays a powerful role in achieving it,” she stated.

Also speaking, Hauwa Abubakar, North-East Zonal Coordinator of the NTD Control Programme under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, described NTDs as “diseases of poverty” that remain a major public health challenge in Nigeria’s underserved communities.

“NTDs are preventable and curable diseases that mostly affect the poor and rural dwellers. They cause disability, deformity, and even death when untreated,” Abubakar said, calling on the media to intensify sensitization and public education to curb the spread of NTDs across the country. The dialogue, organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, brought together health experts, communication professionals, and journalists to strengthen partnerships toward eliminating NTDs and improving community health outcomes in Nigeria.