GUYANA Chronicle’s Vanessa Braithwaite-Moore stole the show at the
PAHO/WHO Clare Forrester Media Awards for excellence in health journalism last Sunday evening. The awards ceremony was held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Kingston under the theme, “Strengthening Health Systems to Achieve Universal Health, Through the Sustainable Development Goals in Guyana.”

Braithwaite-Moore, the overall winner of the awards, won prizes for Best Radio and Online stories, and came in second for Best Radio Feature, and third for Best Online Feature.
Braithwaite also won the special award for coverage in the mass drug administration Filaria campaign and is expected to attend a two-week internship at PAHO headquarters in Washington DC. Guyana Chronicle’s Tajeram Mohabir and Stabroek News’ Jeanna Pearson, the winners of the awards when it was reintroduced in 2014, were rewarded a similar gesture by the PAHO Guyana office.

Braithwaite told the Guyana Chronicle that the PAHO awards can definitely be deemed as a major motivator for journalists to tackle health issues. She said while many newsrooms work according to beats and many journalists do not get the chance to cover the health sector, these awards serve to encourage them to take a step out of their comfort zones and seek out health issues affecting the Guyanese populace; not only to submit as an entry, but to raise the needed awareness, all year round.

Meanwhile, Sharda Bhaccus of Stabroek News won the first place award for Best Print News Story; Tajeram Mohabir (Guyana Chronicle) won Best Print Feature/Documentary; Tracy Ramalho (NCN) won the Best TV News Story; Devina Samaroo (Guyana Times) won the Best TV Feature/Documentary and Best Online Feature categories; Loreen Warde (NCN) won the Best Radio Feature; Aubrey Odle was adjudged Best Photographer and Patrick Ramsammy, Best Videographer.

Rabindra Rooplall, Telesha Ramnarine, Samuel Maughn and Adrian Narine, were other Guyana Chronicle winners in the competition, which saw 132 entries from 11 media houses.

In delivering the feature address at the event, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, urged local journalists not to underestimate the power they have to educate the public. “I salute you for your passion and dedication in promoting greater awareness in Guyana through health journalism. Last year – same date, same place and the same time – I also thanked the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) for reviving, since 2014, this Annual Media Award, and I do so again tonight.”

As a former journalist, the prime minister said personnel who give reportage on the health sector possess unique attributes and motivation. “It is not easy for them to reveal the facts without sensationalising the topic. It calls for dedication and commitment from the awardees in print, television, radio and online media. I truly believe in the power of media, and the important role that journalists play in contributing to every facet of life in our nation, the Region and the world.”

He added: “Public health, it is said, is everybody’s business. It is the business of both the public and private sectors, the business of all institutions and communities. All of us, at the levels of the nation, the Region and the world, collectively have a role and a responsibility to guard the health of our peoples.”

Dr. William Adu-Krow, the PAHO/WHO Guyana’s Representative, noted the hard work, continuous improvement, and personal growth demonstrated by the journalists and explained that health is an important component of daily life.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, relayed her ministry’s elation at the commitment of PAHO/WHO and the journalists to bring awareness to many trending health topics.
Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, and members of the diplomatic corps were also among the attendees at the event.