Akor Gets Public Health Journalism Award

The Academy of Public Health (APH), the flagship body of the West African Institute of Public Health, in partnership with the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), has honoured Nigerian health journalist Ojoma Akor with the inaugural Moji Makanjuola Public Health Journalism Award.

The award, presented at the APH Annual Conference in Abuja on November 24, 2025, celebrates outstanding contributions to public health reporting.

Akor was recognised for her exceptional journalism, investigative reporting and advocacy spanning more than a decade.

The award was presented by the coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who used the occasion to lament Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported drugs, stressing the need for local pharmaceutical production and stronger health systems.

According to the organisers, Akor’s work has amplified critical public health issues across Nigeria and Africa.

Her reporting covers key areas such as health financing, Universal Health Coverage (UHC), nutrition, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases. She has also earned numerous national and international recognitions, including awards from the International Centre for Journalists and the Emerging Health Technologies Media Award.

Speaking after receiving the award, Akor expressed excitement and gratitude for being the first-ever recipient, describing the honour as a motivation to continue advancing public health through journalism.

Veteran broadcaster and public health advocate Moji Makanjuola, in whose name the award was established, said the recognition demonstrates how the media and health sectors can collaborate for the greater good of society.

The director-general of the West African Institute of Public Health, Dr Francis Ohanwusi Ohanido, said Akor was selected after a rigorous search. He said she emerged as the unanimous choice for her significant impact on fellow health journalists and the society at large.