In a significant step towards boosting public health communication and response mechanisms, the Kano State Commissioner of Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye held a pivotal meeting today with a delegation from the Ministry of Health.
According to Sani Abba Yola, the Director Special Duties of the Kano State Ministry of Information, the commissioner stated that the meeting centered on the imperative need for seamless collaboration between information officers across the 44 local government areas and health personnel from both the local government and the Ministry of Health.
Dantiye emphasized the need for a coordinated approach to swiftly confirm outbreaks, ensuring that only verified information is relayed to the public.
“Ensuring the public’s health and safety requires a unified effort from both the information sector and the health sector,” Dantiye remarked.
“By working hand in hand, we can ensure that information regarding disease outbreaks is not only accurate but also serves to empower communities to take appropriate preventive measures,” he added.
The commissioner who promised the support of the Ministry of Information to achieve desired objectives, explained that the meeting served as a platform to explore strategies for enhancing communication channels between information officers and health personnel at both the local and state levels.
In his remarks, the leader of the delegation from Kano State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu Gano, Deputy Director Manpower and Training, Team Leader Tuberculosis and Leprosy, expressed their commitment to fostering a culture of collaboration and synergy among stakeholders involved in public health and information dissemination.
Dr. Gano affirmed the Ministry of Health’s dedication to supporting initiatives that promote the seamless integration of information dissemination and public health efforts at the grassroots level.
In a similar development, the State Commissioner of Information also received a delegation from UNICEF led by Ogu S. Enemaku, Social and Behavior Change Specialist, UNICEF Kano Field Office.
Enemaku said the visit was to renew the sense of purpose and determination to foster closer collaboration between the Ministry of Information and UNICEF, with a shared commitment to safeguarding public health and promoting accurate and reliable information dissemination.