Misinformation
By Abujah Racheal
Abuja, December 10, 2025 (NAN) Healthcare stakeholders have emphasised the urgent need to address threat of health misinformation in Nigeria, urging collaboration among professionals, the mass media and communities to safeguard public health.
They made the call on Wednesday during a webinar for the Health Misinformation Management Fellowship (Lagos Batch II), organised by Nigeria Health Watch and its partners.
Mrs Hannatu Bello, Head of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), called for partnerships in strengthening health communication.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that health misinformation continues to influence harmful behaviours, delay timely care, and widen health gaps.
Strengthening trust in the healthcare system requires a network of skilled professionals who can identify, manage and respond to false health narratives.
In August 2025, Nigeria Health Watch launched the Health Misinformation Management Fellowship (Lagos Batch II) to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to address misinformation and support more effective public health interventions
After 12 weeks of intensive learning, hands-on practice, media engagement and community-focused activities, the fellows graduated on Wednesday.
Bello described the graduation as a milestone in advancing proactive, evidence-driven health communication.
She praised the fellows for dedication, saying that their newly-acquired skills would support efforts to counter health misinformation and build trust across communities.
“Strengthening trust and improving access to accurate health information must remain at the heart of all communication strategies,” she said.
She added that addressing misinformation could not be left to health agencies alone, calling for collaboration among health professionals, the mass media, community actors, and digital platforms.
She urged all stakeholders to institutionalise infodemic management strategies, including rumour tracking, community-based interventions, and continuous capacity building.
Mrs Sandra Varaidzo Machiri, Technical Officer at the World Health Organisation (WHO), Zimbabwe, regretted the negative impact of misinformation on public health.
Machiri said that addressing the problem would require continuous training, community engagement and integrating traditional beliefs with modern scientific approaches.
She encouraged the fellows to leverage social media, fact-checking tools, media literacy and global collaborations to strengthen health communication and promote accurate information in their communities.
She said that global collaboration and integration of local cultural practices with scientific communication were essential for sustained impact.
Highlighting the programme’s impact locally, Dr Kemisola Agbaoye, Director of Programmes at Nigeria Health Watch, said, “In these past months, our fellows didn’t just learn tools, they learned to navigate the complex spaces where misinformation thrives.
“Their curiosity, questions and commitment shaped a truly inspiring journey.
“Today, we celebrate the growth, confidence and dedication of the Lagos Batch II,” she said.
Agbaoye highlighted the transformative journey of the fellows in navigating complex misinformation spaces.
“The fellowship, now in its second batch in Lagos, aims to equip health practitioners, journalists and community leaders with practical skills to detect, analyse and respond to misinformation in real time.
“Participants learn to navigate digital platforms, verify information, engage communities, and develop evidence-based messaging to promote trust in health interventions,” she said.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said that the fellowship played a critical role in strengthening health communication.
The commissioner was represented by a Deputy Director in the ministry, Mrs Esther Samuel.
He congratulated the fellows and urged them to combat misinformation for better health outcomes.
Abayomi reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to trainings and support to address health misinformation.
“We celebrate the Lagos Batch II fellows for their commitment, and we pledge continued support to ensure that health misinformation is countered effectively,” she said.
NAN recalls that experts have noted that misinformation in Nigeria has contributed to vaccine hesitancy and dangerous self-medication, as well as reduced trust in health institutions, particularly during public health crises.
They said that proactive community engagement and media collaboration had been effective in curbing false information and improving uptake of public health interventions.
The Lagos Batch II fellowship underscores the importance of training local change agents to support Nigeria’s broader health goals, including universal health coverage, preventive care, and improved maternal and child health outcomes.(NAN) www.nannews.ng
AIR/IGO
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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola