INCLUSIVITY OF COMMUNICATION-IMPAIRED PERSONS IN COVID-19 COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compelled the Nigerian government to introduce measures to contain or stop the spread—deploys, among other measures, strategic communication towards mobilising citizens accordingly. As most messages usually target regular people with the ability to communicate, it is not certain if the fates of communication-challenged persons are considered. This study examined whether a communication strategy for COVID-19 containment and vaccination took note of communication-challenged persons and explored the ease with which communication challenged persons interpreted, understood and responded to COVID-19 protocol messages and vaccine campaigns. The in-depth personal interview (IPI) method was adopted. Seven persons with communication impairment were chosen randomly through a convenient sampling technique because of their views on the various communication strategies and tactics used to communicate COVID-19 messages in relation to them. The results show that communication-challenged persons were excluded from communication; hence, they were unlikely to be able to relate COVID-19 communication messages, with implications that compliance with COVID-19 protocols was probably weak or breached. The study concludes that communication strategies for COVID-19 protocols and vaccination campaigns are not inclusive of deaf and blind individuals, implying that they may have found it difficult to follow instructions on COVID-19 protocols and vaccination campaigns. The study makes a unique contribution to the need for proper targeting and appropriate messaging in health communication – making communication inclusive. The study recommends that strategic documents such as this should be intentional and inclusive in their design such that challenged persons are adequately considered in framing communication messages for COVID-19 or any pandemic and vaccination campaigns.