All Health Writers In Lagos Agree To Work Together, Form A Coalition

It is a great milestone as all Health Correspondents, Editors and Broadcast Journalists groups in Lagos agreed to work together as a coalition in order to foster unity of purpose.

Faces of some of the media groups’ representatives and partners after the meeting in Lagos.

The Media Alignment Meeting was put together by the International Society of Media and Public Health (ISMPH), in partnership with the EngenderHealth Consortium, in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health, Primary Healthcare Commission, Lagos State Health Management Agency, LASHMA and others.

Speaking at the meeting, the National Programs Director of ISMPH, Mr Solomon Dogo stated that the meeting was convened to harmonize all active health-focused media groups in Lagos. The alignment meeting truly established a coordinated media platform to strengthen health advocacy and improve public health outcomes across the state.

Representatives of the Health Writers’ Association of Nigeria,  HEWAN, Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria,  NRHJN, and media arm of the Lagos State Accountability Mechanism (LASAM) for Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent, Health and Nutrition, ministry of health, LASHMA and PHC were all in attendance.

All the stakeholders in attendance agreed with the fact that everyone is working to achieve Universal Healthcare goal, hence, all hands must be on deck and should be on the same page too most importantly because of partner agencies who are always looking forward to having unified team to work with knowing fully-well that the role of media stakeholders in advocacy towards increasing primary healthcare delivery, uptake of health insurance and other health indicators services, as well as overall health outcomes in Lagos State and the nation at large, is very key. 

As a result, it was agreed upon that there is that dire need to have harmonised media group for proper coordination. 

The conversation was frank and robust culminating in the formation of the coalition. The various challenges were discussed and the modalities for better and coordinated engagements were mapped out at the meeting with the various  groups signing the Memorandum of Understanding in order to achieve the set goals and objectives. 

The meeting which took place today, Thursday, February 19, 2026 was held at Amber Residence Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. Mrs Nike Adeyinka, Director, Public Affairs, represented LASHMA, Mrs Tayo Asagba – Director, Public Affairs, PHCB was also in attendance while Mr. Segun Ogunyinka represented the Ministry of Health. All the Presidents and some other Executive members of all the groups were in attendance too.

In a state as dynamic and densely populated as Lagos, strategic media engagement has proven essential in handling misinformation, mobilizing community support, and influencing policy formulations and implementation, thereby contributing significantly to improved health outcomes for women, children, and families, as a result,  a united media platform is very key and everyone is glad that that has become a reality.

Faces of participants at the end of the media alignment meeting in Lagos.