Journalists win malaria reporting award

… cart away cash prizes from ‘Malaria No More’

WINNERS: Linda Nengi Finecountry, Appolonia Adeyemi and Tosin Odusola displaying their award certificates.

Four Nigerian journalists from the print and electronic media have been rewarded for their outstanding contribution towards the fight against malaria in the country. The journalists who are also health correspondents carted home cash prizes in the first ever Malaria Reporting Award instituted by ‘Malaria No More’, a non-governmental organisation devoted to the global eradication of malaria scourge.
The winners, Mrs. Appolonia Adeyemi, Health Editor, New Telegraph, Ms. Linda Nengi Finecountry, AIT Rivers correspondent and Mrs. Tosin Odusola of Radio Lagos/Eko FM, emerged first in the print, television and radio categories respectively and were awarded the sum of N100,000 cash prize each while Mr. Haruna Godwin of This Day newspaper recieved the sum of N50, 000 as runner up for the print category.
A statement from Malaria No More said the Malaria Reporting award was established to recognize and celebrate the commitment channelled into malaria reporting within the past year by the journalists.
“The criteria for being a recipient of the prize for malaria reporting are detailed, accurate and consistent articles on malaria with human angled stories.
“Three judges from diverse backgrounds including Mr. Sola Ogundipe; Health Editor, Vanguard newspaper, Mrs. Itohowo Uko; Head ACSM branch, National Malaria Elimination Programme and Sarah Doyle, Malaria No More reviewed and judged the 27 entries that were received across the three categories,” the sratement said.
The awards which held at Zen Garden, Ikeja GRA, Lagos was attended by journalists from nine media houses and dignitaries from the corporate world. Certificates were presented by Mr. Albert Mabuyaku, Total Nigeria Plc., Dr. Mike Okolo, Pan Atlantic University, Mrs. Omowumi George, Lagos State Ministry of Health and Mrs. Charity Binka, AMMREN, Ghana.
The Country Director, Malaria No More, Nigeria Mrs. Dayo Oluwole in her remarks discussed a road map for journalist engagement in 2016 which, she announced, would be hinged on capacity building, raising the profile of malaria and resource mobilization. She also thanked the journalists for their commitment towards a malaria free Nigeria and further encouraged them to keep reporting about malaria adding that the next edition would be a bigger platform with better rewards for the award recipients in 2016.
Malaria No More, supported by ExxonMobil has trained journalists across three states in Nigeria; Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Rivers, to achieve wide spread reports from different parts of the country.