Curbing the malaria pandemic in rural communities in Cross River State and indeed Nigeria has been an up-hill task. The resistance of the malaria parasites to malaria is increasing and has become very worrisome. This pandemic has not only taken a huge tall on the economy but family life as well. Several medical interventions and communication interventions have not yet yielded the desired result of prevention and control of the pandemic. The study sought to examine the application of the Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) strategies as a communication intervention in the prevention of the pandemic. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Diffusion of Innovations Theories were utilized to drive the strategy using the Focus Group Discussion and Indepth Interview as well as observations of the qualitative research design. The study revealed that malaria is still a major challenge in the public health domain and the previous communication strategies failed to adopt appropriate and relevant communication approaches. The study also revealed that communication does play a key role in the success of promoting the adoption of positive health behaviours.
Vol. 1, No 1, pp. 15-24.