MEMBERSHIP
We take pride in being vessels for change.
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Eligibility
- Membership is open to journalists and media professionals with a focus on health reporting in Africa.
- Encourage diversity by welcoming professionals from various regions, media outlets and backgrounds.
Application
- All the journalists who are part of the initial meeting or join before network before the Principles and Guidelines are formalized, are considered founding members
- Prospective members should submit applications demonstrating their commitment to accurate and ethical health journalism.
- Consider both seasoned journalists and emerging talents to foster a dynamic and inclusive network.
Code of Ethics
- All members must adhere to a code of ethics that emphasizes accuracy, fairness, and sensitivity in health reporting.
- Encourage responsible reporting on sensitive topics, avoiding sensationalism and misinformation.
As part of us, we have,
Francis Kokutse
Francis Kokutse is a journalist based in Accra, Ghana. A former member of the governing board of the state-owned Ghana News Agency (GNA), he is currently a writer for the Associated Press (AP) and a contributor to Science and Development. Net (SciDev.Net, Inter Press Service (IPS), Nature Africa, as well as the University World News. He has also worked for other media organizations including, Dow Jones Newswires, The Nation Group of Kenya and was also the West Africa Correspondent for the New Delhi-based Indo Asian News Service. Francis is also a published poet on poemhunter.com.
Sarah Teiki Ofori
Sarah Teiki Ofori works with the state's broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. She is a Senior Editor, Health Desk in the television newsroom for 13 years. She also publishes stories for Radio and Online platforms. She is passionate about health issues and those related to the environment. She is the 2022 Winner Merck Foundation Media Awards for Diabetes and Hypertension in West Africa
Christian Siaw Afriyie
Christian Siaw Afriyie is a keen advocate for communication and solutions journalism in society. As an entrepreneur and proprietor of Grand Casamora Hotel in Accra, he promotes corporate social responsibility that mobilizes people, especially the youth for collaboration and social change. He advocates for health communication through, among others, his collaboration with AIESEC (a global platform for young people on leadership), Vinyo Prestige Foundation and Ghana-Netherlands Diaspora Network. He has featured in the Netherlands Public Broadcasting program (NPO1). He holds a BSc. in Political Science and Information Studies from the University of Ghana.
Josephine Christopher
Josephine Christopher is a journalist at Mwananchi Communication Ltd, where she writes for leading newspapers such as The Citizen and Mwananchi in Tanzania. Mwananchi is the most widely read Swahili newspaper in the country. Josephine holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Dar es Salaam and a BSc in Agriculture Economics & Agribusiness from Sokoine University of Agriculture. The diverse academic background enables her to report on a broad range of topics, including health, science & technology, business & economy, gender and climate change. She reports on issues affecting Tanzania and the broader region.
Jonathan Donkor
Jonathan Donkor is a journalist with Ghanaian Times in Accra. He began his journalism career at the Ghana News Agency in Cape Coast. He is currently a valuable member of the Ghanaian Times news team in Accra. When he writes on health, he focuses on public health education on non-communicable diseases, fertility, and road safety. He has also written about the plight of migrants, refugees, and prisoners during COVID-19 vaccination drive, emphasizing the importance of inclusive health care. Jonathan holds a Diploma and BA in Communication Studies and an MA in Development Communication from the University of Media, Arts and Communication (Accra)
Getrude Mbago
Getrude Mbago is a Senior Reporter at the Tanzanian newspaper, The Guardian. The Guardian is a privately owned newspaper under IPP Media. Getrude holds a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Dar es Salaam. She has over 10 years experience, focusing on issues such as health, environment and education. Her articles on health have drawn responses from policy makers and other stakeholdere, stimulating change and development.
Adeola Yusuf
Adeola Yusuf is the Team Lead of Platforms Africa, a leading media and leadership group in Africa, with focus on health, education, and energy. He has won over 10 nominations from the Nigeria Media Merit Award. He has also won recognitions from the Thomson Reuters Foundation for reporting on illicit trade and finance in Africa. He was the winner of the 2016 African Investigative Journalism Conference Bursary Award and the 2017 Tax Justice Network Africa Bursary. Africa. He holds an MSc from University of Lagos. He is pursuing a PhD in Development Communications. Adeola also lectures in news writing and online journalism at the Lagos State University of Technology.
Charlotte Nambadja
Charlotte Nambadja is a Namibian health journalist with a Diploma in Television Production from the College of Arts in Windhoek and a Diploma in Media Studies from the University of Namibia. Nambadja received also media training from the Merck Foundation and Namibia Media Trust-Journalism Hub. She has eight years experience in news feature writing, film-making, photography, radio program, news production and news anchor. She won the best health article by the Editors Forum of Namibia in 2021 and a 2023 Merck Foundation Africa Awards for the SADC's region for her radio production on "longing for motherhood" aimed at breaking the stigma around infertility.
Sarah Apenkroh
Sarah Apenkroh is a Ghanaian journalist, with over 13 years experience reporting on health, gender and social justice. She won the 2022 Merck Foundation Media Award and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Award for gender responsive reporting. She is a 2021 MCBIRD fellow and a fellow of International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP). She holds an MA in Development Communication and a BA in Public Relations from the Ghana Institute of Iournalism. She also has a Diploma in Human Resource Management (ICM UK) and has also followed media trainings organized by the BBC and the American Film Showcase Envoy Lina Srivastava. She works with Media General, a conglomerate that includes TV3. She is a mother of two lovely girls.
Irene Mbakilwa
Irene Mbakilwa is a journalist with the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. She has also reported for the Daily News, the Guardian and the Express. She has a 19-year experience as a journalist, writing on health, gender, the aged, nutrition and social issues. She has received two awards from the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania for her reporting on Gender, Children and the Elderly; and the rise of malnutrition among children under five years of age since. She is married with three children.
Rebecca Quaicoe
Rebecca Quaicoe is the Gender and Health Editor of the Daily Graphic, Ghana's biggest circulating newspaper. She is a winner of two prestigious Ghana Journalists Awards. In 2010 and 2017, she won the Best Report on HIV/AIDS and Health Categories respectively. She is a member of the Ghana Journalist Association (GIJ) and the Association of Women in the Media (ASWIM). She is also a member of the National CSO Malaria Elimination Task Force. She has been working with the Daily Graphic for 22 years.
Carlos Juttson Banda
Carlos Juttson Banda is a journalist and media, communications and public relations expert with an in-depth understanding of the media landscape in East Africa – where he has advised and effectively executed clientele communications through various media channels and ensured their visibility. With over 8 years of experience, he has worked and gained experience in journalism and public relations in a wide range of sectors specifically, including health, banking, telecoms, agriculture, and research. The success of his work has been a result of hard work, trust, teamwork, discipline, commitment, curiosity, reliability, efficiency, and honesty.
Bayo Akinloye
Bayo Akinloye is a Lagos-based journalist in Nigeria. He has keen interest in health, science and development reporting. He is an alumnus of the U.S. IVLP and a journalism fellow of Thomson Reuters Foundation. He has written several health-related stories, including a feature on bloodless surgery. Bayo demonstrates versatility as a reporter earning several awards across various beats. He is keen about learning new things and taking on new roles.
Irene Mbakilwa
Irene Mbakilwa is a journalist with the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. She has also reported for the Daily News, the Guardian and the Express. She has a 19-year experience as a journalist, writing on health, gender, the aged, nutrition and social issues. She has received two awards from the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania for her reporting on Gender, Children and the Elderly; and the rise of malnutrition among children under five years of age since. She is married with three children.
Rebecca Quaicoe
Rebecca Quaicoe is the Gender and Health Editor of the Daily Graphic, Ghana's biggest circulating newspaper. She is a winner of two prestigious Ghana Journalists Awards. In 2010 and 2017, she won the Best Report on HIV/AIDS and Health Categories respectively. She is a member of the Ghana Journalist Association (GIJ) and the Association of Women in the Media (ASWIM). She is also a member of the National CSO Malaria Elimination Task Force. She has been working with the Daily Graphic for 22 years.
Carlos Juttson Banda
Carlos Juttson Banda is a journalist and media, communications and public relations expert with an in-depth understanding of the media landscape in East Africa – where he has advised and effectively executed clientele communications through various media channels and ensured their visibility. With over 8 years of experience, he has worked and gained experience in journalism and public relations in a wide range of sectors specifically, including health, banking, telecoms, agriculture, and research. The success of his work has been a result of hard work, trust, teamwork, discipline, commitment, curiosity, reliability, efficiency, and honesty.
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