By ABUJAH RACHEAL

In a decisive move to strengthen Nigeria?s fight against health misinformation, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) have reactivated the National Infodemic Management Technical Team (NIMT).

The renewed effort comes amid growing concern over the impact of misinformation and disinformation on public health interventions, including vaccination campaigns, outbreak response, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

In a webinar meeting held on Thursday, NIMT underscored the urgent need for a unified, multi-sectoral response to manage the country?s evolving information landscape and restore public trust in health communication.

Dr. Kingsley Igwebuike, WHO Infodemic Management Officer, highlighted the need for a whole-of-system approach to counter the dangerous spread of misinformation and disinformation, particularly during emergencies.

?We live in a noisy information environment where misinformation and disinformation often spread faster than truth.

?Our responsibility in this management technical working group is to ensure an effective coordination in the fight against misinformation and disinformation,? Igwebuike said

Mr. Junaid M. Junaid, Senior Health Education Officer and Lead of the Infodemic Management Unit, NCDC, unveiled Nigeria?s five-pronged strategy for managing health misinformation, including Identification, Simplification, Amplification, Quantification, and Coordination.

?The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the deadly impact of misinformation and disinformation.

?We are now using real-time social listening and insight reports to drive targeted health communication and counter false narratives, especially during disease outbreaks,? Junaid said.

He highlighted the successful integration of infodemic management into vaccination campaigns across all 36 states and the FCT, while also acknowledging challenges such as funding gaps and limited data analysis capacity.

Ms. Racheal Abujah, a Public Health Journalist and AMR Media Ambassador, highlighted the critical need to apply infodemic management principles to another growing public health threat: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

?As Nigeria prepares to host the AMR Conference in 2026, it is critical for the IM team to begin prioritising Antimicrobial Resistance as a key public health communication challenge,

?AMR is not just a medical issue, it is a growing infodemic, fueled by widespread misinformation, inappropriate antibiotic use, and poor awareness at the community level.

?We must intensify strategic efforts now to counter AMR-related misinformation, promote responsible use of antimicrobials, and position Nigeria as a leader in global health communication ahead of the conference.?

With Nigeria?s proactive leadership, Mrs. Hannatu Bello, Head of RCCE and Infodemic Management at the NCDC, stressed the importance of collaboration.

Bello said that a united front spanning health professionals, media, community actors and digital platforms would be crucial in combating misinformation and safeguarding public health in the years ahead.

?Strengthening trust and improving access to accurate health information must remain at the heart of all communication strategies,? she said. (NAN)