Abstract
Indigenous language health programmes have potentials to create knowledge, accelerate, and transform Nigeria's health burden narratives as well as create awareness on national health policies, goals, and objectives. This chapter takes the stand that not only is government disinterested in policy implementation, as suggested by the lack of practical synergy between government, policy implementation committee, and media organizations. Exploring the values of indigenous language in development media theory, this chapter sets out to demonstrate merits of media support in health policy execution via dynamics of indigenous language programmes towards achieving sustainable development goals. The chapter therefore recommends that constitutional gap in health provision should be bridged to eliminate the question of accountability at all levels and on the long run decentralize health education; and it will make it much easier for state government to embark on holistic health communication strategies that suits their geopolitical terrain.
TopBackground To The Study
The centrality of heath and health education to sustainable development of man and his environment cannot be overemphasized. Global concern for health development and cooperation began with the 1851 first International Sanitary Conference in Paris, Dresden and another Paris Conference in 1893 and 1894 respectively to address Cholera and the 1899 Venice Conference which dealt with preventing the spread of plague. These conventions were consolidated into a single International Sanitary Convention in 1903. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the United Nations in 1945, based on the proposal of a technical preparatory committee, drafted and adopted the Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) by representatives of 51
Members of the United Nations and ten (10) other nations. Since then, health issues became fundamental concern of government Worldwide (WHO, 1986). As an organ of the United Nations, WHO is charged with the responsibility of monitoring global health trends and proffering appropriate course of action as at when due is a testimony to the primary of health to continual survival of human and the universe (Mustapha, 2008).
Nigeria is signatory to several global initiatives and agenda on health and development, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), now Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The thrust of the third goal of the SDGs is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This also aligns with the Nigerian Vision 20:2020 goals, proposed to enhance access to quality and affordable care through the establishment of at least one general hospital in each of the 774 Local Government Areas (FMoH, 2016). According to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chapter 11 subsection 14(2b), “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of Government” (Nigeria 1999 Constitution as Amended). Embedded in welfare is health in all ramifications.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Mass Media: Mechanical means of getting messages across to a large number of heterogeneous and diversified people simultaneously.
Perspectives: Correctives opinions on how to do something better.
Trends: Current happenings regarding a particular issue.
Language: A medium of expression peculiar to a particular group of people.
Health Education: Learning about issues related to the physical, mental, social and economic outcomes of life. It is central to the wellbeing of individual.
Indigenous: Aboriginal attributes of culture. It represents the identity, root, norms, morals, values, beliefs and other tangible and intangible attributes of life.
Issues: Problems militating against proper functioning of a particular thing.