Kaduna Health Media Groups Close Ranks to Drive Unified Advocacy
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
In a bold move to strengthen health accountability and amplify impact, media stakeholders in Kaduna State have launched a Unified Health Media Coalition, a collaborative platform designed to align voices without silencing independence.
Clear from the onset, the coalition is not a merger or takeover. Each member network retains its identity and autonomy. Instead, the new body will coordinate joint advocacy, issue unified press statements, represent media voices in government engagements, and promote professionalism in health reporting.
The coalition will be led by a transparently agreed executive team: Garba Muhammed as Chairman, Sahura Maidoki as Secretary, Hadiza Abdullahi as Assistant Secretary, Sola Ojo as Financial Secretary, and Stella Kabruk as Treasurer.
At the inaugural gathering, Solomon Dogo, Director of Programmes at the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), set the tone, describing the meeting as a strategic bridge between media actors and government institutions.
“This is about connection, collaboration, and collective problem-solving,” he said, noting that bringing media professionals face-to-face with public affairs leaders in health and planning was a deliberate step toward improving communication and driving better health outcomes.
Also speaking, Dr. Anthony Shamang, Kaduna State Consultant for the Gates Foundation, underscored the indispensable role of the media in health system strengthening.
For over a decade, the foundation has supported Kaduna’s health ecosystem, with a focus on ensuring life-saving commodities reach vulnerable populations — especially women and children.
According to Shamang, impactful health interventions depend not just on delivery, but on how information is communicated.
He revealed that with over 45 Gates-supported partners implementing more than 60 projects in Kaduna, coordination is now the top priority to avoid fragmented impact.
He also hinted at upcoming collaboration opportunities with BBC Media Action, expected in the state soon to deepen engagement around maternal health communication.
With its formation, the Unified Health Media Coalition positions the media as not just observers, but active partners in shaping health outcomes, ensuring that interventions reach communities, messages resonate, and accountability remains front and centre.
