Health Journalists Urge Nigerian Government to Provide Verifiable Evidence of Improved Health Outcomes

Nigerian health journalists have urged the federal government to demonstrate a reduction in the country’s health indices, providing tangible evidence of its commitment to improving the sector. Joseph Kadiri, President of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHEJ), made this call during the 8th Annual Conference of the association in Abuja. He emphasized the need for the government to address issues such as inadequate funding, inefficient resource allocation, and poor service delivery within the health sector. Kadiri stressed that the media can only amplify health improvements to the international community if there is verifiable evidence of progress in the country’s health outcomes. Despite the introduction of the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), challenges such as limited access to health information, data, and unequal healthcare access continue to persist. He pointed out that SWAp’s success depends on the active involvement of all stakeholders, including the media, which is eager to support the government. Kadiri highlighted the important role journalists play in promoting health awareness, education, and advocacy, and emphasized the media’s role in holding stakeholders accountable and advocating for increased health funding. “ANHEJ seeks verifiable evidence of improvements in Nigeria’s health indices so we can highlight these successes on the global stage,” Kadiri said. “We are committed to supporting the federal government and development partners in promoting health achievements.”