In partnership with the Nigeria Health Watch, Lagos state government has launched an initiative to educate residents at the grassroots level and tackle the spread of fake news within local communities.
This effort is in response to the increasing prevalence of misinformation, which the Global Risks Report 2024 has identified as the most severe global risk over the next two years.
The initiative, tagged: “Health Misinformation Management Project,” seeks to empower citizens with accurate and reliable health information. The focus is dispelling myths and falsehoods related to critical health issues such as vaccinations, infectious diseases, maternal and child health, and general wellness.
Director of programmes, Nigeria Health Watch, Dr Kemisola Agbaoye, at the Lagos state misinformation management fellowship orientation program, said misinformation could significantly influence behavioural changes and public health outcomes.
Citing an example, Agbaoye said in 2014 a rumour that saltwater could prevent Ebola spread via social media led to two deaths and 20 hospitalisations.
“In 2020, misinformation led people to dismiss the virus as fake or mistake it for malaria; in 2021, misinformation and disinformation in vaccines fueled COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy; in 2022, Misinformation greatly impacted Mpox responses, and in 2023, 2 in 10 parents and caregivers were unwilling to allow their children take the HPV vaccine due to misinformation,” she further explained.
Misinformation and disinformation are anticipated to be severe global risks and continue for the next ten years, the director said, adding that addressing misinformation in health will require multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary approaches.
The Lagos state health educator, Mr. Olusegun Badejo, said the project is to empower community members or community stakeholders to address health misinformation, adding that the long-term goal is to establish a network of well-informed communities across Lagos, capable of resisting the spread of false information and contributing to a healthier society.
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