[email protected]
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
DRASA (Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh) Health Trust
  • Home
  • COVID-19
    • Nigeria’s First-Ever IPC Simulation Training Center
    • Our COVID-19 Experience: The Last 6 Months
    • COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions
    • COVID-19 Education: Staying Safe
  • Who We Are
    • About Us
    • Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
    • Our People
      • Board of Advisors
      • Board of Trustees
      • Management Team
  • What We Do
    • Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
      • Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Training
      • COVID-19 Education: Staying Safe
    • Community Health & Hygiene
      • Youth Ambassadors
      • Community Health
  • Get Involved
  • News & Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Donate

Chew Bitter Kola: Fake News that Harms Public Health

Home News Chew Bitter Kola: Fake News that Harms Public Health

News26/09/2018drasa_admin

Chew bitter kola. Drink bleach. Bathe in salt water. Drink salt water. Get nano silver the “magic Ebola drug.”

These are just some examples of the kinds of misinformation and fake news that were flying around during Nigeria’s Ebola outbreak.

And they were all harmful.

Let’s look at the example of drinking salt water.

Ebola Salt Water

There was a text/Whatsapp message going viral during the outbreak that read, “Please ensure that you and your family and all your neighbors bathe with hot water and salt before daybreak today because of Ebola virus which is spreading through the air.’’

Imagine, in a country like Nigeria where we already have a high prevalence of hypertension (high blood pressure) people were bathing in and drinking salt water because they truly believed it would preserve their lives. Yet in reality it was making their existing health conditions worse.

 

They were unknowingly harming themselves because of fake news.

This is why we were so excited to participate in Africa Check’s Fake News That Harms workshop in Abuja. The theme was Tackling Health Misinformation.

Fake News That Harms Public Health

But what is health misinformation? It falls into 10 categories:

  1. Satire and hyperbole
  2. Unproven claims
  3. “Dog whistle” messages
  4. Misleading content
  5. Exaggerated or understated claims
  6. False claims
  7. Mislabelled content
  8. Imposter content
  9. Manipulated content
  10. Fabricated content

 

Our MD Niniola Soleye spoke about how dangerous fake news is, especially when there is an outbreak or public health crisis.

Honourable Minister of State for Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire beside our MD Niniola Soleye's presentation

Honourable Minister of State for Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire beside our MD Niniola Soleye’s presentation

She shared how rumours and fake news create new challenges during outbreaks that have to be dealt with on top of the already existing challenges of fighting against a fast-spreading deadly virus like Ebola for example.

Speaking on the experiences from her community health work with DRASA, she also emphasized, “often the misinformation people see and believe comes from those closest to them – people they trust and love.”

We look forward to supporting some of the solutions proposed during the workshop. Check out more pictures from the workshop in the gallery below.


 

10 Types of Misinformation 110 Types of Misinformation 110 Types of Misinformation 210 Types of Misinformation 2What is Fact Checking?What is Fact Checking?Fake News that Harms Public Health - Africa CheckFake News that Harms Public Health - Africa Check
Share on Facebook Share
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Google Plus Share
Share on LinkedIn Share
Send email Mail

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • We Won an Antibiotic Guardian Award!
  • A New Student Competition: World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020
  • WHO Featured One of our DRASA Youth Ambassadors
  • Encouraging Handwashing in Markets: Global Handwashing Day 2020
  • 5 Years of Impact: Happy Birthday to Us!

Categories

  • #IDFridays
  • #ItStartsWithMe
  • Humans of DRASA
  • News
  • Press Release

Archives

  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • July 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015

About Us

DRASA Health Trust is a public health organization working with government, local and international partners, community leaders, students, and health workers to promote adequate sanitation and hygiene, reduce and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and strengthen Nigeria’s health security and emergency preparedness.

DRASA was established in memory of the late Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh who identified and contained Nigeria's first Ebola patient, preventing a major outbreak, but lost her life in the process.

Recent Posts

  • We Won an Antibiotic Guardian Award! 27/11/2020
  • A New Student Competition: World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020 24/11/2020
  • WHO Featured One of our DRASA Youth Ambassadors 23/11/2020
  • Encouraging Handwashing in Markets: Global Handwashing Day 2020 11/11/2020
  • 5 Years of Impact: Happy Birthday to Us! 20/10/2020

Contacts

17 Ibikunle Street, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
+234 (0) 803 613 1484
[email protected]
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Website Design By RDM
© 2020 Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh Health Trust - All Rights Reserved.