Food Safety Media Campaign and the Health of Nigerians

Abstract

Food safety is a crucial practice many people do not yet carry out, an indication that they have not yet imbibed its principles. Where such knowledge is lacking, education of the populace on the relevance of food safety measures should be emphasized. This is the essence of media sensitization and educational efforts. This paper is an analytical study whose focus was on identifying whether media campaigns about Lassa fever successfully encouraged food safety since the outbreak of the disease reached epidemic proportions in Ondo, Edo and Taraba States (NDDC reports, January 26, 2023, Vanguard Newspaper of February 29, 2024). Objectives of the study were to; ascertain if media campaigns were used to educate the residents of Ondo, Edo and Taraba States on Lassa fever, examine whether media campaigns influenced the residents of Ondo, Edo and Taraba States about Lassa fever and identify which media was most significant in disseminating messages about food safety to prevent the spread of Lassa fever among residents of Ondo, Edo and Taraba States. The theoretical framework for the study consists of Protection Motivation Theory and Health Belief Model theory. The population was drawn from the three aforementioned areas with the interview method used as the instrument of gathering data. The study found that respondents were properly sensitized but the majority chose to be nonchalant about imbibing the new health behaviour advocated for curbing the spread of Lassa fever; the most significant media used for the sensitization efforts was the billboard. The study recommended that use of pesticides against rats should be encouraged among residents of these three States in order to avoid a reoccurrence. In addition, government should promote innovations in specially designed nets, that can be placed on people’s doors and windows, which can kill rats on close contact.