NMG journalists win health awards

L-R: NTV’s Florence Naluyimba, KFM’s Diana Wanyana and Daily Monitor’s Agatha Ayebazibwe display the awards they received during the Health ministry’s 20th Joint Health Sector review meeting in Kampala on Wednesday. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA

What you need to know:

Ms Florence Naluyimba, a reporter at NTV Uganda, scooped the most outstanding journalist award for her role in reporting about all aspects of the health sector whereas Ms Agatha Ayebazibwe, a health writer at Daily Monitor, and KFM’s Diana Wanyana were also celebrated for their role in promoting immunisation and vaccination programmes in the country

Kampala.
Three Nation Media Group journalists were on Wednesday recognised by the Ministry of Health for their role in scaling up the immunisation and vaccination campaigns in the country.

Ms Florence Naluyimba, a reporter at NTV Uganda, scooped the most outstanding journalist award for her role in reporting about all aspects of the health sector whereas Ms Agatha Ayebazibwe, a health writer at Daily Monitor, and KFM’s Diana Wanyana were also celebrated for their role in promoting immunisation and vaccination programmes in the country.

Speaking at the award ceremony in Kampala, state minister for Primary Health Care Sarah Opendi said: “Media has played has a big role in informing the public about the benefits of immunisation.”

Ms Opendi added that journalists should keep on extending the massage.

“I feel honoured that the Ministry of Health has recognised my role in promoting public health through writing. This shows that good journalism will always get noticed and be rewarded,” Ms Ayebazibwe said.

She also thanked Daily Monitor for giving her a writing platform, without which she would not have been successful.

Journalists speak out
Ms Wanyana noted: “This is my first award after covering the health sector for five years and it’s not by favour but from my sweat.”

She said covering the health sector is not an easy task because doctors most times do not want to talk to the media.

Ms Naluyimba noted that there are few health journalists in the country and urged more colleagues to join them. “This is an award for reporting all the angles of the health sector earned through dedication backed by a lot of passion,” she said

Role by the media
According to the Annual Health Sector Report 2013/2014, 93 per cent immunisation of infants less than one year was attained by the Health ministry, due to the role played by media.