The TB Northern Nexus Cluster, spearheaded by the Centre for Women, Youth, and Community Action (NACWYCA), organized a media round-table at Skyage Hotel, Keffi, to boost tuberculosis (TB) awareness across Northern Nigeria. This two-day event, part of the USAID-SCALE project driven by Palladium, brought together 19 media professionals from Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, and Plateau states to discuss the media’s role in TB advocacy and address funding challenges.
Dr. Nawani Aboki, Executive Director of NACWYCA, welcomed participants, emphasizing the importance of open dialogue on the media’s impact in combating TB and the need to spotlight funding issues. Media representatives presented reports from their states, detailing TB awareness levels, challenges, and successes. Bauchi reported low awareness but noted media partnerships with CBOs like Langa Women Development Initiative. Benue highlighted successful health programs on Radio Benue and potential CSO collaborations. Kano reported the highest TB cases in Nigeria, stressing the need for new CSO partnerships. Katsina and Nasarawa noted insufficient TB information and urged improved media-CSO collaboration, while Plateau pointed out limited public health coverage due to funding issues but committed to working with CSOs.
A panel discussion, moderated by Mr. Godwin Daniel, included media professionals from FRCN Lafia, Radio Benue, Plateau Radio and Television, NAN Lafia, and Punch Newspaper correspondent in Katsina. The panelists discussed media’s crucial role in TB awareness, advocacy, policy influence, and private sector engagement, emphasizing the need for comprehensive information and collaboration with health institutions and CSOs.
Participants were divided into groups to strategize on increasing domestic TB funding. Proposed methods included crowdfunding, advocacy visits, media advocacy leveraging traditional and new media, and engaging celebrities for fundraising. They also discussed government and philanthropy engagement to establish budget lines, CSR, health insurance schemes, and public-private partnerships.
On the second day, discussions highlighted the importance of domestic funding for sustainability, ownership, and reduced dependency on international donors. State delegations outlined benefits of locally funded TB programs, such as improved healthcare outcomes, innovation, and increased government commitment. Media practitioners committed to immediate actions like news reporting, interviews, and radio jingles, and long-term strategies including documentaries, social media campaigns, and CSO collaborations.
A presentation showcased successful TB campaigns in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, demonstrating effective strategies like multimedia engagement, community outreach, and international donor support. The round-table concluded with the formation of a TB CSO-Media Coalition to sustain advocacy efforts and ensure the longevity of TB awareness campaigns. Participants unanimously committed to enhancing TB reporting and advocacy, marking a significant step in the fight against tuberculosis in Northern Nigeria.