The International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) has strategically engaged health journalists as key allies in our mission to raise awareness and education on reducing maternal mortality in Lagos State.

At a recent two-day training programme for Traditional Media influencers in Lagos, which we organized in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and EngenderHealth, our Director of Programmes, Mr. Solomon Dogo, emphasized the critical importance of this partnership. “Our goal is to significantly reduce Nigeria’s alarmingly high maternal mortality statistics and help the country move away from its position as having the second-highest maternal mortality rate globally,” Dogo stated.

We at ISMPH have identified media professionals as critical stakeholders in this effort, alongside the Legislative and Executive arms of government. Their role in shaping public discourse and disseminating accurate health information is invaluable to our mission.

This training is a component of our three-year pilot project operating across Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna states, aimed at improving RMNCAH+N (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition) outcomes through strategic media engagement, awareness creation, and public education.

Our facilitator, Mr. Olumide Olaniyan, challenged participants to uphold ethical reportage standards and to serve as both disclaimers of misinformation and agents of social change in critical areas including Gender, Gender-Based Violence, Family Planning, and National Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health.

We were pleased to have representation from the Lagos State Government through Mr. Segun Ogunyinka, Public Affairs Officer in the Ministry of Health, who highlighted the government’s conscious efforts at promoting maternal and child health and preventing Gender-Based Violence. He also emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration across all levels—a sentiment we at ISMPH fully endorse and actively pursue through initiatives like this training programme.