COVID-19: Daily Trust Health Editor, others win Merck Foundation ‘Stay at Home’ Awards
The Health Editor of Daily Trust newspapers, Ojoma Akor, has won the Nigerian print category of the Merck Foundation ‘Stay at Home’ Media Recognition Awards.
The award was organized by Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany in collaboration with the First Lady of Nigeria, Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, the First Lady of Ghana, Rebecca AkufoAddo, and other African first ladies.
The theme of the awards was ‘Raising Awareness on how to stay safe and keep physically and mentally healthy during coronavirus lockdown’ with the aim of separating facts from myths and misconceptions.
The foundation had in April called for entries from print, online, radio, and multimedia platforms from English, French, Arabic and Portuguese speaking African countries.
“The most creative and influential media work, aiming to raise awareness and sensitizing communities about this alarming topic at a regular basis, will be eligible to win these awards,” the foundation had said.
Other winners from Nigeria are Ekene Odigwe of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Aneta Felix of
TV360 Nigeria, Ishioma Emi Mary of Ventures Africa, Ebere Agozie - GFH News, and Odimegwu Onwumere of The Nigerian Voice.
Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation in a statement Friday announcing the winners, said the foundation and First Ladies of Ghana and Nigeria celebrate the winners of the awards.
“I am very proud of our winners from Ghana and Nigeria who helped to educate the communities about COVID-19 through their exceptional work by frequently covering this topic in their respective countries. I have always believed that media can play a very important role in sensitizing people about sensitive issues such as coronavirus global pandemic. Big congratulations to all the winners,” she said.
Each of the winners in the first position went home with $500 and have been inducted into the Merck Foundation Alumni and one-year access to online educational training program called “MasterClass”.
The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, and aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology.