In Nigeria, the mass media are used independently or complementarily in health promotion activities to achieve positive lifestyle changes. The mass media can play a positive role in combating the Lassa fever epidemic and its attendant fatality in Nigeria. The present review is necessitated by the widespread reportage and persistence of Lassa fever infection and fatality in Nigeria. From June to October 2018, the authors searched for relevant information in the grey literature, Scopus database, PubMed, Cochrane database, Google, and Nigerian newspapers and magazines, among other sources. Based on the reviewed literature, the authors argue that the mass media reportage of Lassa fever is limited in its content and undermined by poor network connection, the time of the day the broadcasts are made, and people's indifference. These factors have posed a hindrance to health and environmental behaviours that would help to prevent Lassa fever and have resulted in cases of Lassa fever. It is recommended that media reporters intensify efforts at understanding the best time of the day to broadcast Lassa fever prevention information. The mass media should also make efforts toward providing accurate information regarding disease outbreak because this might help reduce panic and resistance to control and prevention measures.

Nigeria has high numbers of meningitis cases and related fatalities almost every year. This study explored the role of the media in meningitis campaigns using a documentary method of data gathering and analysis. The research objectives were to determine if the media played a positive role in campaigns against meningitis outbreaks in Nigeria and to determine the major obstacles to media coverage of meningitis outbreaks in Nigeria. The results revealed that the role of the media in Nigeria during meningitis outbreaks is positive and supportive. However, paid advertisements and announcements that support the media in health promotion campaigns were undermined by limited understanding of infectious diseases by politicians and some media sponsors. Therefore, the authors recommend the establishment of a permanent funded media structure charged with the responsibility of grassroots campaigns against meningitis, and the integration of the media into committees formed to combat the disease.

This study investigated the knowledge and practice of safety protocols among journalists serving as frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19 in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. Structured questionnaire served as instrument for data collection. The population of the study was all the one hundred and fifty-seven (157) registered journalists in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The study was anchored on the Stages of Change Model and Health Belief Model. Simple percentage, frequency table, bar chart, T-test and Pearson’s chi square tests were used to analyse the research questions whereas t-test and Pearson’s Chi square test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 significance level. Findings show that whereas majority of the respondents had good knowledge of Coronavirus personal protective measures, they lack the technicalities and personal protective equipment required to serve as frontline health workers in a highly infectious pandemic situation such as Coronavirus. The study recommends special training for journalists who cover pandemics, particularly highly infectious ones of this nature to better equip them with the requisite skills for this genre of special assignment. Journalism training bodies and institutes could also consider the inclusion of pandemic reporting as part of specialised courses in journalism studies. Prioritsing vaccination of journalists who serve as frontline workers during pandemics is also strongly recommended.

Nigeria reported highest incidence of dracunculiasis in the world in 1991 (WHO 1991). Ebonyi, a small state in the south-eastern part of the country was rated the most endemic with a total of 3,370 cases reported in 1996 alone (Global 2000 & Ojodu 2001). In 2005, the World Health Organisation proclaimed that the disease was eradicated from Ebonyi state and indeed, Nigeria, and the country was declared guinea worm free. This study examined the bionomics of Cyclops in sampled fresh waters in the state and their guinea worm infection status fifteen years after it was declared Guinea worm free by the World Health Organisation.. The study was done in three phases. Phase one was between 2004 and 2005 (before the proclamation), phase two was between 2005 and 2006 (shortly after the proclamation), and phase three was in May/June 2020 (fifteen years after the proclamation). Out of 5,529 Cyclops examined during the first phase using microscope, 36 were found infected with dracunculus larvae. Prevalence by seasonal variation showed that more Cyclops occur during the months of dry season (November to April) with peak transmission occurring between February and April. Out of 1,443 Cyclops studied in the second phase, none was found infected with Dracunculus larvae, indicating that guinea worm was actually eradicated in the state. Repeated study in the third phase in 2015 authenticated that finding as none of the Cyclops was found infected with guinea worm larvae. This implies that there is no more prevalence of infective guinea worm larvae in the communal water sources in the area. But the abundance of Cyclops were more in the communal water sources in the third phase due to suspension of regular treatment of ponds with abate which controls Cyclops population in water bodies. The increase of Cyclops population in the water bodies calls for serious attention by responsible authorities and collaborating agencies with the view to ensuring more effective surveillance system as any introduction of one case of dracunculus larvae into the water bodies will result in explosive outbreak of the disease in a larger scale in the area.