By Ali Rabiu Ali
The Nigerian Center for Disease Control, NCDC, has trained health educators and the Media on how to control rumors on health issues within communities in Jigawa.
The training was focused on how to Identify, Simplify, amplify and quantify the rumors about vaccines and other health-related issues in the state.
The main objectives are to support continuous monitoring and analyses of data and information exchange patterns on online and offline platforms, to detect misinformation or other falsehood, and counter them with facts or other interventions.
The Three-day state training which was held between 27 to 29 June 2022 in Dutse was to strengthen the existing Infodemic management systems for Covid-19, ATM, the emerging and re-emerging Infections with support from Global Fund.
Dr. Aishatu Bintu Gubiyo, one of the facilitators, said the expected outcomes of the training are improved info-surveillance on Covid-19, ATM, and Emerging/re-emerging Infections in the state.
To train state officers on Infodemic management, and develop a state-specific community-based rumor log.
And to develop an Infodemic management trend report and finally set up of state Infodemic management team.
In his remarks, the State Health Educator, Alhaji Ibrahim Yahuza Darai, said rumors are a dangerous act that is affecting disease prevention in society.
He called on the participants to pay more attention and learn how to control and manage rumors and misinformation on any health issues in the community.
Infodemic management in Nigeria evolved during the Covid-19 pandemic from the existing mechanism for addressing perception and risk behavior. It commences through leveraging an events-based surveillance system.
