Professional Evaluation of Health Communication Campaigns by the NCDC in Northern Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has expanded its public communication function significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic, and evaluating the professional effectiveness of its campaigns in reaching diverse northern Nigerian communities is essential for continuous improvement. This study professionally evaluated the design, implementation, and effectiveness of NCDC public health communication campaigns in selected North West and North East states. A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted, combining document analysis of NCDC campaign materials and reports from 2021 to 2023 for three campaigns (COVID-19 booster vaccination, Lassa fever awareness, and cholera prevention), with structured interviews with 12 NCDC regional communication officers in Kano, Sokoto, Gombe, and Borno, and outcome surveys administered to 240 community respondents across the four states. Evaluation criteria covered campaign reach, message clarity, cultural sensitivity, channel appropriateness, and reported behaviour change. Results showed that awareness goals were generally met in urban areas but significantly underachieved in rural communities, particularly in Borno and Sokoto. Community health worker integration in campaign delivery significantly improved rural reach but was implemented inconsistently across campaigns. Hausa-language materials were available in all campaigns but materials in Kanuri, Fulfude, and other minority languages were absent. Behaviour change communication outcomes were positive for cholera prevention but weaker for vaccination uptake campaigns. Recommendations include community health worker-centred delivery models, minority language material development, and mandatory post-campaign evaluation data publication for all NCDC campaigns.

Keywords: health communication, NCDC campaigns, Northern Nigeria, public health communication, campaign evaluation