WITH numerous submissions made for this year’s Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation Media Awards for Excellence in Health Journalism, Stabroek News’ Jeanna Pearson and Desilon Daniels and Guyana Times’ Tajeram Mohabir stole the night as they walked away with the honours for their unrelenting efforts to push Guyana’s health agenda. 

Revived by PAHO’s Guyana Representative, Dr. William Adu Krow after an almost nine-year hiatus, the award recognises the work of journalists and media personnel in health and development while improving the standard of reporting on health issues in Guyana.

“The media plays an important role in highlighting public health issues and is a good medium for advocacy, communication and education,” Dr. Adu Krow said as he addressed the gathering Saturday evening at the Pegaus Hotel, Kingston.
With the media continuously evolving, Dr. Adu Krow said those new social media like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube “attends to the needs of modern health consumers who are highly engaged and desire to be involved in their health more than ever before.”
“Journalists often forget that we have the immense power to share with citizens of all ages from all walks of life truly lifesaving knowledge and information that can in fact change our country,” said Chief Judge Cathy Hughes, who has practised in the media for many years.
“The media in today’s technology driven world is therefore an essential partner as they are the primary source of information for the general public and can often shape public discourse on issues,” Hughes continued.
She explained also that pieces were judged from the ability of the writer to place one scenario in the context of a broader agenda with focus on the further implications of root causes.
Making her point clearer, the Chief Judge referred to a case of domestic violence that resulted in the death of one spouse and the root cause was alcohol abuse as a health issue, rather than “focusing on the sensationalist aspect of the story.”
Gordon Moseley, who is no stranger to the media as he heads one of the leading Online news agencies, News Source Guyana, had a few words of caution to media practitioners. “We must take our role seriously, and always act professionally and responsibly,” he said, adding: “What we might consider a simple mistake while reporting on a health issue could cause major panic.”

BEING INFORMED
He drew attention to the recent Ebola-scare across the world that was fuelled by media speculations. “Our jobs as journalists must be to inform but we should also ensure that we ourselves are informed before we inform,” Moseley said.
He similarly called on health professionals to practice more open-door policies as they must recognise the media as an agent of education and change. “We must work hand in hand,” he said as he explained his ordeal while searching for information from officials in Guyana’s health system.