Social Media Alternative for Health Communication in Nigeria

Abstract

In the changing media and health landscapes, health communication requires more ways to improve and sustain new practices for health advocacy. The same way global population is soaring, people are becoming more urbane, and these vicissitudes are accompanied by the need to access new forms of media to meet information needs. This chapter assesses social media relevance as an alternative tool for health communication and clearly established that social media holds an integral locus in the day-to-day activities of the people, the same way it has for health communication. The growing concern is for stakeholders who are government and non-government agencies actors like traditional rulers, faith-based organisations, and international bodies to adopt the use of social media as an alternative for health communication in Nigeria.

Adoption of Social Media during Covid-19 Pandemic by African Presidents: A Cross-Sectional Study of Selected Facebook Accounts

“…Social media's emergent importance in health crisis communication is widely explored ( Adikpo & Achakpa-Ikyo, 2021 ; Stawicki et al, 2020 ). Arguing on the need to develop a strategy for implementation during a crisis, Aleinikov et al (2021) affirm that social media are major information channels for crisis response.…”

“…By and large, social media relevance leveraged for galvanising public trust, participation and engagement, which are critical issues during health crises. Social media's emergent importance in health crisis communication is widely explored (Adikpo & Achakpa-Ikyo, 2021;Stawicki et al, 2020). Arguing on the need to develop a strategy for implementation during a crisis, Aleinikov et al (2021) affirm that social media are major information channels for crisis response.…”