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  • Book
  • Open Access
  • © 2022

Health Crises and Media Discourses in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access

  • Discusses innovative ways in which media in fragile regimes are responding to health crises

  • Brings up gender, social justice, human rights violation, press regulation, corruption, and mental health concerns

  • Highlights concerns like misinformation, fake news, journalists’ safety, financial sustainability & viability issues

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Table of contents (16 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xviii
  2. Journalism Practice, Audiences and News Discourses

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 73-73
    2. Endangered Voices: Nigerian Journalists’ Safety amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

      • Moyosore Omowonuola Alade, Bernice Oluwalanu Sanusi
      Pages 109-126Open Access
    3. Face-to Face with COVID-19: Experiences of Ghanaian Frontline Journalists Infected with the Virus

      • Kodwo Jonas Anson Boateng, Redeemer Buatsi
      Pages 147-162Open Access
    4. Citizen Journalism and Health Communication in Pandemics’ Prevention and Control

      • Gregory Obinna Ugbo, Chinonye Faith Chinedu-Okeke, Jude Nwakpoke Ogbodo
      Pages 183-199Open Access
  3. Regulation, Representation and Marginalisation

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 217-217
    2. ‘Weapons of Oppressors’: COVID-19 Regulatory Framework and its Impact on Journalism Practices in Southern Africa

      • Tshuma Lungile Augustine, Trust Matsilele, Mbongeni Jonny Msimanga
      Pages 253-266Open Access
    3. Media Discourses on Gender in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic in Zimbabwe

      • Bhekizulu Bethaphi Tshuma, Lungile Augustine Tshuma, Nonhlanhla Ndlovu
      Pages 267-283Open Access

About this book

This is an open access book which brings together leading scholars and critical discourses on political, economic, legal, technological, socio-cultural and systemic changes and continuities intersecting media and health crises in Sub-Saharan Africa. The volume extensively discusses COVID-19 but it also covers other epidemics, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS as well as “silent” health crises such as mental health---simmering across the subcontinent. The chapters fill knowledge gaps, highlight innovations, unpack the complexities surrounding the media ecosystem in times of health crises. They explore, among other issues, the politics of public health communication; infodemics; existential threats to media viability; draconian legislations; threats to journalists/journalism; COVID-related entrepreneurship, marginalization, and more.

This is a timely resource for academics, advocacy groups, media practitioners and policy makers working on crises and media reporting, not just in Africa but anywhere in the global South.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Department of Journalism, Media and Communication, NLA University College, Kristiansand, Norway

    Carol Azungi Dralega

  • School of Journalism, Media and Communication, Uganda Christian University, Mukono, Uganda

    Angella Napakol

About the editors

Carol Azungi Dralega (PhD) is an Associate Professor and Head of Research at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication, NLA University College in Norway. She teaches in the MA program in Global Journalism. Carol, who is originally from Uganda and a former journalist/editor with Uganda’s two leading media houses, holds an MPhil/PhD from the Media Studies Institute, University of Oslo. She is a researcher at the Nordic Center of Excellence (Uppsala University) as well as a member of the International Association for Media and Communication Research. Dralega is a founding member of the Global Journalism Community which launched in March 2021. Her research interests include; ICT/media and issues around journalism practice, policy, marginalization and social change.


Angella Napakol (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer and Head the School of Communication, Uganda Christian University. She holds a PhD from the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, an MS in Mass Communication from North Dakota State University, USA, and a BA in Social Sciences from Makerere University, Uganda. She teaches in both undergraduate and graduate communication and journalism programs at the Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication. Her key research interests include: health communication; humanitarian, risk and crisis communication; social change communication and intercultural communication.   

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Health Crises and Media Discourses in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • Editors: Carol Azungi Dralega, Angella Napakol

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95100-9

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Social Sciences, Social Sciences (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2022

  • License: CC BY

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-95099-6Published: 25 May 2022

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-95102-3Published: 25 May 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-95100-9Published: 24 May 2022

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVIII, 283

  • Number of Illustrations: 2 b/w illustrations, 10 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Media Sociology, Media and Communication, Science and Technology Studies, Public Health

Buy it now

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access