By Sabiu Abdullahi
Nigeria’s long struggle with disease outbreaks has repeatedly shown how weak communication systems can worsen health emergencies.
In recent years, states have battled diphtheria, malaria, meningitis, Lassa fever, cholera and measles, often without clear public guidance at the peak of outbreaks.
In many cases, rumors travelled faster than official updates. Fear spread before facts reached the public. Misinformation filled the gaps left by delayed or poorly coordinated communication.
With memories of these challenges still fresh, the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) has launched a major step meant to strengthen outbreak communication.
This comes through a three-day workshop in Zaria, supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Lafiya Programme.
The initiative seeks to unite health agencies, media professionals, risk communication experts and government institutions to create a stronger, faster and more reliable information system ahead of future outbreaks.
Officials say the programme will help states avoid the costly lessons of the past. During Nigeria’s diphtheria crisis, many communities were unaware of symptoms before outbreaks escalated.
During meningitis outbreaks, myths overshadowed medical guidance in some states. During the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicting messages damaged public trust.
These experiences, experts say, prove that communication failures can be as deadly as the diseases themselves.
The Director-General of KNCDC, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, declared the workshop open. He said the goal is no longer just to respond to outbreaks, but to communicate with clarity, speed and authority.
“This workshop is about building a united front — where health officials, journalists, and communication experts speak with one voice, guided by facts and science,” Prof. Abbas stated.
He described the partnership with FCDO-Lafiya as strategic, timely and necessary. He commended the organisation for sustained support in improving Nigeria’s health emergency systems.
He added that communication must stand alongside testing, vaccination and treatment in outbreak control.
Participants were drawn from health institutions, media organisations, government agencies and civil society groups.
They are expected to co-design a communication framework that prioritises rapid information flow, public engagement, rumor control and stakeholder alignment.
Facilitators will lead sessions on crisis media handling, digital risk communication, misinformation control, emergency coordination and broadcast-ready public messaging for disease outbreaks.
The workshop will also include group simulations, panel discussions and field scenarios aimed at turning knowledge into practice.
Public health analysts have strongly welcomed the initiative. They say outbreak preparedness in Nigeria must go beyond medical response. They argue that a well-informed public remains one of the strongest defenses during a health emergency.
Observers say Kano is taking a rare but necessary lead. Many states, they note, still lack structured outbreak information systems. Some states depend solely on federal communication during epidemics, leaving gaps in local response messaging.
Some wait until outbreaks are full-blown before launching public awareness efforts. Health experts warn that this delay has repeatedly cost lives.
By moving toward a structured communication plan, Kano is now positioning itself as one of the best prepared subnational systems in outbreak information management.
The workshop continues throughout the week, with officials stating that the final outcome will be a deployable outbreak communication model meant to guide real-time response within Kano and potentially across other Nigerian states.