SOCIAL MEDIA AND HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE MANAGEMENT

This study, Social Media and Health Emergency Response Management in Makurdi Metropolis of Benue State, Nigeria, sought to evaluate the use of social media in managing health emergency response among the residents of Makurdi metropolis of Benue State. Survey research design was used and questionnaire was adopted as the instrument for data collection. Findings revealed that the social media users in Makurdi metropolis give prominence to health emergency incidents to a very large extent, and that the social media users in Makurdi metropolis discuss health emergency incidents when they occur on daily basis on the dominating social media platform(s). It was also revealed that the use of social media contributes in health emergency situations management in Makurdi Benue State by enhancing timely dissemination of emergency situations, easy access to information on emergency incidents and supporting of information with photos to enhance credibility. Based on the findings, the study recommended among other things that the government should recognize the connectivity strength of the social media as a veritable communication channel in championing campaigns on health emergency incidents.

Autorentext
Cyprian T. Gbasha is a graduate of Mass Communication from Benue State University, Makurdi. He is a postgraduate student of Bayero University, Kano. Lilian D. Mtsor is a graduate of Microbiology from the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. Francis S. Vihishima is a graduate of Mass Communication from the Benue State University, Makurdi.