Harnessing Mass Media for Malaria Prevention and Treatment in Nigeria

Mass media is a powerful tool in the fight against malaria. It is critical in shaping public behaviors and attitudes by reaching large audiences and reinforcing health messages delivered through community-based activities.

Breakthrough ACTION influenced positive malaria behaviors in Nigeria through a coordinated package of community-based, mass media, and digital approaches. Each approach targeted audiences, behaviors, and core messages to ensure consistency and reinforce the desired outcomes. Mass media is crucial due to its ability to reach a wider audience than community-based activities alone. Findings from the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3) Malaria Endline Survey, which guided Breakthrough ACTION’s approach, revealed that the top channels for malaria prevention messages were radio (66%), television (30%), health workers (30%), and friends/relations (16%).

However, while mass media is powerful, many media outlets and program producers lack the expertise to deliver content that effectively shifts health behaviors. Furthermore, access to trusted sources of information, such as public health experts, is limited for many media houses. Breakthrough ACTION approached its malaria media interventions through:

A mass media campaign designed to promote prompt care-seeking for fever, testing before treatment, and adherence to prescribed malaria treatment. The
A banner featuring “Mama Put” encouraging care-seeking for fever. Credit: Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria

campaign was titled “Mama Put,” after the central character played by beloved Nollywood actor Ada Ameh. Mama Put was a loveable, middle-aged woman who used humor to highlight the absurdity of poor malaria behaviors, making the messages memorable and impactful. The TV and radio spots featuring Mama Put were broadcast 97,126 times across 11 states on radio and television. The campaign reached 2,598,867 mobile users (via Airtel 421) and several millions of people through social media.
Collaboration with media houses and capacity strengthening to ensure the sustainability of malaria messaging. Breakthrough ACTION strengthened partnerships between media houses and the National/State Malaria Elimination Program (N/SMEP) using a range of approaches to build capacity and foster long-term relationships.
Workshops and regular review meetings with the N/SMEP and media personnel helped media producers, health reporters, on-air personalities, and managers develop programs and messages addressing malaria, including jingles and human-angle stories.
Partnership building between N/SMEP and media houses. Breakthrough ACTION conducted coaching sessions with N/SMEP on media engagement, strengthened partnerships across 59 media houses, and increased access to resource persons for media houses seeking accurate malaria content.

Results of Mass Media Interventions

An external evaluation found that women exposed to the Mama Put fever care spots were 9% more likely to seek malaria testing for children with fever (p<0.01).
Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria trained and mentored over 500 media personnel from 151 media houses. Government partners were trained on developing high-quality health programming, including for malaria, that effectively shifts behaviors.
Free airtime for health spots and health programs valued at over $2.5 million was made available by media houses for health programming, including for malaria.

Lessons Learned

Designing engaging content is not enough. Fostering strong partnerships, co-designing, and building local capacity is critical to supporting the sustainability and shared ownership of malaria programming across government and media stakeholders.
Co-designing campaigns with stakeholders. Involving health professionals, media members, and community representatives in the design of mass media campaigns ensures that campaigns are acceptable, engaging, relevant, and effective in reaching the intended audiences.
Use data to drive strategy. Strategic placement of media programming is essential, especially when working with limited budgets. Utilizing data to understand the best channels, times, and methods for reaching audiences ensures that resources are used efficiently and effectively.
Careful selection of personalities. The choice of campaign personalities is critical. Selecting someone who resonates with the audience can significantly enhance the campaign’s impact. However, anticipating potential challenges, such as the untimely death of a beloved celebrity like Ada Ameh, is also essential, as it can shift focus away from the campaign’s message.

Watch the Mama Put series and other malaria spots and learn more about Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria’s malaria SBC interventions.

Written by: Olusola Adeoye, Malaria and Tuberculosis Senior Program Officer; Olubunmi Ojelade, Malaria and Tuberculosis Program Officer II; and Justin DeNormandie, SBC and Innovations Advisor