Disseminating reliable health information through participatory radio programming on Indigenous language media: A study on selected community radio stations in rural Ghana.

This study examines the role of community radio stations in rural Ghana in disseminating reliable health information and combating health dis/misinformation through participatory programming in Indigenous languages. It identifies commercial media, social media platforms like WhatsApp, religious leaders, herbal medicine practitioners, and some health workers as key sources and spreaders of health dis/misinformation, often motivated by financial gain or entrenched beliefs. Community radio stations counter this by involving local health experts and community members in program planning and production, using interactive formats such as live phone-ins, Vox pops, and community forums to enhance trust and participation. The study concludes that leveraging the existing trust in community health workers via participatory Indigenous language broadcasting can effectively debunk health dis/misinformation in rural settings.