PROSOSAL
/ CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Aguwa (1990). Malaria kills a child
somewhere in the world every minute. It infects approximately 219 million
people each year (range 154 – 289 million), with an estimated 660,00 deaths,
mostly children in Africa. Ninety percent of malaria deaths occur in Africa,
where malaria accounts for about one in six of all childhood deaths. The
disease also contributes greatly to anaemia among children — a major cause of
poor growth and development. AbouZahr C., Wardlaw T. (2009)
Malaria infection during pregnancy is
associated with severe anaemia and other illness in the mother and contributes
to low birth weight among newborn infants one of the leading risk factors for
infant mortality and sub-optimal growth and development.
Aguwa (1990). Malaria has serious
economic impacts in Africa, slowing economic growth and development and
perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty. Malaria is truly a disease of
poverty afflicting primarily the poor who tend to live in malaria-prone rural
areas in poorly-constructed dwellings that offer few, if any, barriers against
mosquitoes.
Malaria is both preventable and
treatable, and effective preventive and curative tools have been developed.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne
infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by protists (a type of
microorganism) of the genus Plasmodium. It begins with a bite from an infected
female Anopheles mosquito, which introduces the protists through saliva into the
circulatory system.
In the blood, the protists travel to
the liver to mature and reproduce. Malaria causes symptoms that typically
include fever and headache, which in severe cases can progress to coma or
death. The disease is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions in a broad
band around the equator, including much of Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the
Americas.
Five species of Plasmodium can infect
and be transmitted by humans. The vast majority of deaths are caused by P.
falciparum and P. vivax, while P. ovale, and P. malariae cause a generally
milder form of malaria that is rarely fatal. The zoonotic species P. knowlesi,
prevalent in Southeast Asia, causes malaria in macaques but can also cause
severe infections in humans.
It should be recalled that one of the
recent effort is the provision Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs)
which the campaign was done on various media to include social media, however,
the research want to examine the impact of mass media campaign on reduction of
malaria disease in Osun state.
1.2 STATEMENT OF
THE PROBLEM
Former Minister of Health, Professor
Babatunde Oshotiemeyin once said that “malaria is diverstating families, made
poor; poorer and costs the nation about 140 billion naira annually”. It hampers
children’s schooling and social development in general.
It is against this background the
researcher is willing to examine the role of mass media in the eradication of
malaria in Osun state.
1.3 OBJECTIVES
OF STUDY
- To
examine whether people feel the impact of radio and interpersonal
communication in the campaign on malaria.
- To know
if radio and television succeed in creating enough awareness on malaria.
- How
effective is malaria campaign on radio?
- To what
extent has communication reduced malaria disease among people?
- Do
people receive adequate information on malaria through radio and other
interpersonal communication channels?
- Do
Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) Campaign awareness on media influence people
to adopt it?
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
- Do
people feel the impact of mass media in the campaign against malaria?
- Do mass
media succeed in creating enough awareness on malaria?
- How
effective is malaria campaign on mass media?
- To what
extent has communication reduced malaria disease among people?
- Do
people receive adequate information on malaria through radio and other
communication channels?
- Does
Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) Campaign awareness on mass media influence
people to adopt it?
- What
are the challenges facing mass media the coverage of malaria
issue?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This research which is relatively new
to the field of mass communication, although some scholars have writing on the
impact of mass media in curbing malaria but none of them ever write on how to
use social media campaign for the same purpose. Therefore being a new aspect,
the work will benefit some many organizations and individuals.
First, the study will benefit students
and the youth on the need to share and not just use social media to catch fun
but for health and academic advancement
Government and health stakeholder will
see the need to adopt social media during the health campaign by sharing the
necessary links from their website to the social media timeline for students to
see and express their views.
Future researchers who many what to
carry out research in this area or related aspect will find this materials as
reference point.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE
STUDY
Because of time, geographical
locations, fund and other necessary logistics, the study is narrowed down to
Osun State as a case study since it is very difficult if not impossible to
study all the state of federation and that is while Osun State is selected. The
researcher will visit the state of Osun before structuring and administration
of questionnaires.
1.7 LIMITATION
TO THE STUDY
i.
Wide
research of this nature cannot be carried out without some constrains, this
constrains pose a lot of limitations to this work.
ii.
Duration
for the research work is relatively short.
iii.
Stress
emanated from other academic activities is also another constrain.
iv.
Little
materials are also available because the work is relatively new.
v.
Financial
constrain poses another challenges.
vi.
Most
information are gathered through newspapers and internet
1.8 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
Malaria: This is a mosquito-borne
infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by protists (a type of
microorganism) of the genus Plasmodium.
Mass Media : These means of getting information to a
wider range of audience residing in different location through transmitter.
