ASSESSMENT OF NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF FAKE DRUGS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study is on assessment of newspaper coverage of fake drugs in Nigeria. The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected newspapers in Akwa Ibom state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made editors, marketers, senior staff and junior officers were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The newspaper is the medium for the public to get accurate information and updates about current issues. There are a lot of articles about fake drugs published in newspapers in this country. The biggest problem to get the overview of fake drugs is lack and limited research on the fake drugs in Nigeria.  Therefore, this made  the  newspaper  as  a  reliable  reference  to  get  the information  or  an  overview  of  fake  drugs  in Nigeria. The used of newspapers to get the overview of fake drugs is via people that interviewed in the articles in the papers.  The people that interviewed gave the information and viewed about fake drugs in Nigeria. These are the first study in  Nigeria aimed  to determine  whether the content of interrogated in the articles on fake drugs that published in the selected newspaper in can  be explored  to get  the  information about  fake drugs  from  the  articles  in  the newspapers.  Fake drugs had been a major problem of every society that threatens the lives of people all over the world. According to experts, the negative impact of fake drugs on the society is more than that of either narcotic agents or the combined effects of malaria, HIV/AIDS and armed robbery (Akunyili, 2005). This is why the press and World Health Organization recently, alerted the international community on the need of sensitizing the mass on the effect of fake drugs (WHO, 2005). Cooperation as well as exchange of information by the press between governments and drug companies in combating this menace is expected to provide better results.  It’s on this note that the researcher is moved to investigate press sensitization of the public on fake drugs in Nigeria.  There  was  little  research  which  has  used  the  qualitative approach  in  the  developed  countries.  This study is following a qualitative approach design. References for this study sourced from the online electronic newspapers which are Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo. Three papers online were selected after the author did the inclusion criteria screening and  only  these two  newspapers  company produce  enough articles  to  be  analysed.  The  reason  to  choose  online newspapers is to be more practical and save the time during analysed because the hard copy  of newspapers need longer screening  and  need  focusing  during  the  reading  of  every article in the press. Newspaper  can  be  a  medium  to  get  the  information  that related  with  the  certain  phenomena.  This study is about unregistered drugs phenomena in Nigeria.  The themes emerged from the newspaper indicated that many factors contributed to this issues and many management or solution in managing  this problem implemented  by the  government and the  enforcement Pharmacy department.  Although there is full support from the government, enforcement pharmacy, awareness and education programme given to the public, this problem remained. There are many of obstacles that need to be highlighted.  The advancement of technology and the management of unregistered drugs also need to be upgraded and updated. The recommended solution to this problem is to access or improve the current awareness programme and to ensure that the knowledge given to the public is well comprehended and can be practically applied by the public. The government or the health policy makers also need to ensure that the information given to the public are equal and sustainability.