?:reviewBody
|
-
Posts circulating on social media claim the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control spent N1 billion (US$2.7 million) on sending SMSs to educate Nigerians about Covid-19 . Tweets from 8 April 2020 shared what appeared to be a screenshot of news article headlines claiming the agency said they had spent N1 billion on a Covid-19 awareness campaign. Similar messages were shared on Facebook . Did the NCDC really spend this much money? NCDC says claim ‘false’ The NCDC told Africa Check that the claim was false. On 9 April, the agency also dismissed the claim in a tweet . T he headline claiming that NCDC has spent N1 billion on SMS to Nigerians is FALSE. While communication through SMS is a key part of our #COVID19 response strategy, this has been largely provided as in-kind support by @AirtelNigeria @MTNNG @GloWorld, they said . NCDC director-general, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, urged Nigerians to do all they could to support the agency and the country’s healthcare workers . He said: Avoid spreading fake and unverified news on the pandemic, stay safe, keep washing your hands , maintain a safe social distance and hygiene. In the end we will overcome it. – Motunrayo Joel
(en)
|