The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) has described journalists and social media influencers as critical partners in managing public response during disease outbreaks, warning that misinformation and unverified reports can worsen health emergencies.
The Director-General of KNCDC, Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, made the remark at a two-day Emergency Risk Communication workshop organised by the agency with support from the FCDO–Lafiya Programme for journalists, broadcasters and digital media actors from Kano State. The workshop was held recently in Kaduna.
Professor Abbas urged media practitioners to verify outbreak-related information with KNCDC before publication, cautioning that speculation and premature reporting could fuel panic and undermine containment efforts.
“There are at least 11 steps involved in confirming an outbreak. Reporting suspected cases as confirmed outbreaks without due process can do more harm than good,” he said, citing lessons from Nigeria’s Ebola response.
Also speaking, editor of The Daily Reality, Aisar Salihu Musa, urged journalists to treat emergency reporting as a life-saving public service rather than an opportunity for sensationalism.
“Where trust is strong, public health succeeds. Where trust is weak, fear becomes the real outbreak,” he said, stressing the need for accuracy, empathy and respect for patients’ privacy.
In another session, editor of WikkiTimes, Aminu Adamu Naganye, warned that uncoordinated and conflicting messages during outbreaks often fuel panic, rumours and mistrust.
He cited the 2023 diphtheria outbreak in Kano, where delayed official clarification allowed misinformation to spread on social media, and noted that early radio messaging during cholera alerts helped reduce public anxiety.
“Coordination ensures speed, accuracy and credibility. Silence during outbreaks creates a vacuum that rumours quickly fill,” Mr Naganye said.
KNCDC’s Infection Prevention and Control officer, Habu Muhammad, said Kano State has faced several public health emergencies in recent years, including cholera, Lassa fever and measles, with serious health, social and economic consequences.
Organisers said the workshop was aimed at strengthening collaboration between KNCDC and the media to improve public trust, curb misinformation and enhance Kano State’s emergency health response.
