South Africa's specialist news service Health-e has won the Global Health Council's 2008 Excellence in Media Award.
The Excellence in Media Award for Global Health was presented to managing editor Kerry Cullinan in recognition of the organisation's work in Community Media.
The Global Health Council is a large alliance of organisations that are dedicated to saving lives by improving health. Its members range from massive foundations and government agencies, to corporations and academic institutions, and NGOs working at grassroots within individual countries.
The judges described the Health-e website as "one of the best online destinations for a comprehensive look at how HIV/AIDS and other health issues are impacting a nation, from small communities to national policy".
"Health-e's journalists have garnered an exceptional reputation in South Africa for their straightforward, balanced, sensitive, intelligent and engaging stories," said the Global Health Council. "Their reporters are highly regarded among other South African journalists and, notably, by scientists and advocates working in health research."
"It means a lot to be recognised by a global body whose business is public health, rather than journalism," said Cullinan. "All too often the constructive role of the media in tackling major social issues is overlooked, and instead attitudes to the media are often dominated by antagonisms built on narrow interests."
Health-e is an independent non-profit organisation. It was founded in 1999 and although it has just five journalists, it is able to provide coverage on-line as well as in print, radio and television format. It operates from Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
Health-e has, over the years, maintained a strong focus on issues relating to the HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis epidemics and on the functioning of the public health service.
Source: Health-e
