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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

There is empirical evidence that the health of a nation significantly enhances its economic development and vice versa. Outbreak of diseases have undermined development and impoverished many developing nations such as Nigeria in one way or the other as resources meant for other sectors hence been channeled to preventing and halting the disease as well as treating the victims. Nonetheless, it has been enunciated that the pursuit of better health should not await an improved economy, rather measures to improve health will themselves contribute to economic growth.

         At the instance of any outbreak of diseases in a country, it is the responsibility of the government of the country through ministry of health, non-governmental bodies and other national and international organizations to create awareness through mass media and other communication forms by sensitizing the public on the causes, signs and symptoms of the disease, preventive and protective measures against the disease. The outbreak of Ebola virus diseases (EVD) met the same procedure of creating awareness.

         An Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a disease of humans and other primates caused by an ebola virus. It was first reported of its outbreak in 1976 in Yambuku, Democratic republic of Congo, which lies on the Ebola River, where it derived the name from (C.M. Fauquet, 2005). Since then, the disease has claimed so many lives at its different outbreaks within African countries.

         Recently, Ebola virus disease was imported into Nigeria by a Liberian Victim, Patrick Sawyer who came with the intension of attending of summit of a regional organization, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Nigeria. The Liberian victim sought for treatment at Lagos Hospital. Nigerian health workers that treated the patient contacted the virus and met scores of relatives, friends and medics; thus leaving fears of infection.

         In order to reduce the spread of the disease, the World Health Organization recommends raising community awareness of the risk factors for Ebola infection and the protective measures individuals can take (WHO Ebola virus fact street No. 103, March, 2014). The government charitable group, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)   and other agencies hence so much created awareness campaigns on the Ebola  virus such awareness includes putting messages and jingles on radio and television stations and putting posters around communities as part of a long term programme to inform the public and help prevent further infections. Others include organizing seminars and workshops on Ebola topic, as well as taking to the streets and villages educating the public on how to respond to the outbreak.

         NTA 12 Uyo is not left behind in also giving this necessary awareness on Ebola virus in Uyo L.G.A. This necessitates the research for the various programme awareness campaigns such as jingles programme and weekly messages on information about ebola virus carried out by the television broadcasting station in Uyo Local Government Area.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Awareness programme on any issue simply gives detailed information about the issue at hand. Television in a major medium for dissemination of information to the public while Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) is one of the numerous channels that has the statutory responsibility for transmission of these information via Television. NTA has so many branches and sub stations across the country which NTA 12 is one of them and it is located in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. Television as one of the different types of mass media is a powerful tool for the transfer of information, concepts and ideas to both general and specific audiences. It plays an important part in advancing public health goals.

         The importation of ebola virus into Nigeria by a Liberian Patrick Sawyer had given a serious challenge to the health sector of the country. Since the Ebola Virus Disease is very deadly, it needs a thorough awareness campaign on it.

         It is on this background, that it is necessary for the research to find out the individuals views on the efficacy of awareness programme on Ebola Virus through NTA 12 Uyo by the people of Uyo Local Government Area.

1.3        OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study seeks to achieve the following objectives:

1.            To determine exposure of Uyo audience on NTA 12 awareness campaigns on ebola virus.

2.            To assess NTA 12 programmes on ebola virus awareness campaigns in Uyo Local Government Areas.

3.            To find out the impact of the NTA 12 Uyo awareness campaigns programmes on Ebola virus on the people of Uyo L. G. A.

4.            To find out the challenges and problems facing the awareness campaign programmes on NTA 12 Uyo.

1.4        RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.            What is the level of awareness campaigns programme on Ebola virus carried out by NTA 12 Uyo?

2.            What are the programme on NTA 12 Uyo that create awareness on Ebola virus in Uyo.

3.            To what extent does NTA 12 awareness campaign programmes on Ebola virus impacted on the people of Uyo L.G.A.?

4.            What are other effective campaigns means on Ebola virus that will be more accessible to the people of Uyo Local Government Area?

1.5    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research confines itself to assessing NTA 12 programme awareness campaign on Ebola virus in some selected areas in Uyo L.G.A. of Akwa Ibom State. The research is limited to selected areas in Uyo Local Government Area like, Ifa Atai, Use Offot, Aka Offot, Afaha Oku and Mbiabong areas.

1.6    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will be useful in many ways. It shall be of great importance to the key players in the health care sector of the Nigerian economy. Moreover, the study will offer the needed information for the ministry of health, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, national centre for Disease control (NCDC), case management and information control team of National Ebola Emergency Operation Centres  (NEEOC) and to the government to act upon. It would also provide the needed awareness to operators of the programme at NTA 12 Uyo so as to improve in their campaigns.

         Additionally, this study will form the basis for further academic research work for other researchers in the related topic of study and will also add to the existing stock of knowledge in the area of study.

1.7    LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease is new to Nigerian community and there is limited literature evaluating and assessing its information from the different health providers in the country. The literature review carried out for this project is based on secondary data from unpublished literature, published journals and reports mostly by foreigner, therefore, any error observed in the primary data may have affected the reliability of the work.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

Awareness: State of level of consciousness or having knowledge of something.

Campaign: A series of operations under taken to achieve a set of goals.

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD): EVD or Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is a disease that infects mammal, including humans caused by the ebola virus with symptoms like fever, sore threat, muscle pains, headaches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea followed along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidney and internal and external bleeding typically starting two days to three weeks after contracting.

Impact: Impact here refers to a significant or strong influence and an effect on a particular target.

Jingle: A short tune or verse develop especially one used to advertise something.

NTA: is an acronym for Nigeria Television Authority which was inaugurated in 1977 and is the government owned body in charge of television broadcasting in the country. The biggest television network in Africa with station in several parts of Nigeria.

Virus: A submicroscopic infections organism, now understood to be non-cellular structure consisting of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat it requires a living cell to replicate and often causes disease in the host.