Nigeria Health Watch announces #PreventEpidemicsNaija Journalism Awards 2023/2024. Nominations are now open!

Nigeria Health Watch is pleased to announce a call for entries for the fourth edition of the #PreventEpidemicsNaija Journalism Awards ceremony.

Since 2021, Nigeria Health Watch has rewarded journalists for exemplary EPR reporting through the #PreventEpidemicsNaija Journalism Awards (PEJA). The awards ceremony brings together key stakeholders in the Nigerian health security space, including Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies responsible for implementing the National Action Plan for Health Security.

The first three editions of the awards recognised and honoured journalists for the crucial role they played in spreading awareness of the significance of epidemic preparedness and response, current information about COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria’s response to the pandemic, and other infectious disease outbreaks. Last year’s winners were from notable Nigerian newsrooms and media organisations, including Africa Independent Television (AIT), Voice of Nigeria, and Premium Times.

“Recognising our susceptibility to disease outbreaks underscores the necessity for a robust health security system hence, it is important we gather to honor exceptional journalists who have persistently championed the cause of epidemic preparedness and response in Nigeria.” said Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, during the third edition of the award ceremony, where she highlighted the importance of the media in epidemic preparedness and response.

This year’s award ceremony will be in partnership with Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA). NHEA celebrates individuals and organisations in the Nigerian healthcare sector and has been instrumental in raising awareness, setting standards, and promoting excellence in healthcare services. Leveraging the NHEA’s reach, this year’s award seeks to celebrate outstanding journalists who have continued to play a key role in advocating for epidemic preparedness in Nigeria and encourage increased reportage of EPR stories in the Nigerian media space. The winners will be announced at the award ceremony scheduled to be held on the 21st of June 2024.

Criteria for Nomination

The nominated article, programme or production should capture the following themes and must have been published or aired between the period of January 1, 2023, to May 22, 2024:

1. Communicate the many dimensions of epidemic preparedness in Nigeria.
2. Inform on the current state of epidemic preparedness in Nigeria, with a special focus on funding.
3. Highlight and scrutinize budgeting and funding for epidemic preparedness in Nigeria.
4. Improve community awareness on infectious diseases, empower citizens to demand more funding for epidemic preparedness and hold power to account.

Eligibility criteria

1. Print News:

Length of submission: Written articles of minimum of 650 words in length published in print format/platform.

• Online News:

Length of Submission: Written articles of minimum of 650 words, videos of a minimum of 1 minute 30 seconds in length published on online media platform.

• Radio: Length of submission: Radio show – 5 minutes or longer.
• Television: Length of submission: TV show/Media Report – 3 minutes or longer

Nomination Process

Awards nominations can be submitted HERE.

Journalists, readers, media institutions or other interested individuals such as civil society and academia may submit nominations.

Each valid nomination must contain the name of the nominee, verifiable details of the published article(s) or programme(s), their media affiliation(s) and the contact information (email address and phone number) of the nominee.

Multiple submissions are encouraged.

PEJA is conducted with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator.

About Nigeria Health Watch

Nigeria Health Watch is a not-for-profit health communication and advocacy organisation that seeks to advocate for better health for Nigerians. We have worked to actively engage and support the government in raising awareness and increasing knowledge on a wide range of health issues in Nigeria. We aim to hold duty bearers accountable for delivering affordable and quality healthcare to Nigerians. The unique capacity of Nigeria Health Watch lies in the combination of its communication and health expertise, which enables the organisation to provide solutions for evidence-based communications and advocacy in the health sector. Through its various platforms, Nigeria Health Watch is a trusted source that provides informed commentary and in-depth analysis of health issues in Nigeria, always in good conscience. Learn more at www.nigeriahealthwatch.com

About Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA)

The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) is an annual event that recognises and celebrates outstanding contributions to the Nigerian healthcare sector. Established as a platform to encourage excellence in healthcare delivery, NHEA aims to motivate stakeholders to continuously improve standards and provide quality healthcare services.

For more information and questions about the Journalism Award, please contact:

Contact person Nigeria Health Watch: Ibukun Oguntola

Email: [email protected]

Contact person NHEA: Moses Braimah

Email: [email protected]