Discovery Journ Winners 2014

8/12/2019 Discovery Journ Winners 2014

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JOURNALISM

AWARDS

DISCOVERY HEALTH


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01 A B O U T T H E D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T HJ O U R N A L I S M A WA R D S03I N V E S T I N G I N T H E F U T U R EO F J O U R N A L I S M

08 D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H J O U R N A L I S M A W A R D SI N T R O D U C E S A N E W A WA R D C A T E G O R Y12H E A L T H C A R E R E P O R T I N G AP O W E R F U L T O O L F O R C H A N G E

20 C O L L A B O R A T I O N A B E T T E R W AY T OG E T I N F O R M A T I O N T O T H E P U B L I C27J O U R N A L I S M C O M I N GI N T O A N E W E R A

30 S P R E A D I N G T H E W O R D O NH E A L T H Y L I V I N G32J U D G E S ' P R O F I L E S


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0410

1116

1719

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D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H

J O U R N A L I S T O F T H E Y E A R ,

B E S T Y O U N G U P C O M I N G

J O U R N A L I S T O F T H E Y E A RA N D D I S C O V E R Y F O U N D A T I O N

N A T I O N A L B U I L D E R

B E S T H E A L T H

E C O N O M I C S

J O U R N A L I S M

B E S T H E A L T H

A N A L YS I S A N D

C O M M E N T A R Y

B E S T H E A L T H

I N V E S T I G A T I V E

R E P O R T I N G

B E S T H E A L T H

T E L E V I S I O N

R E P O R T I N G

B E S T H E A L T H

R A D I O J O U R N A L I S M

B E S T H E A L T H

J O U R N A L I S M

F O R E I G N M E D I A

B E S T H E A L T H

L I F E S T Y L E F E AT U R E

B E S T H E A L T H

C O N S U M E R R E P O R T I N G

A N D F E A T U R E W R I T I N G

B E S T H E A L T H

N E W S R E P O R T I N G

WINNERS


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D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H J O U R N A L I S M A W A R D S 01

A B O U T T H E

D I S C O V E R Y H E A LT H

O U R N A L I S MW A R D S

F I R S T L A U N C H E D I N 2 0 0 8, T H E A N N U A L D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H J O U R N A L I S M

A W A R D S W A S C R E A T E D A S A W AY F O R U S T O R E C O G N I S E A N D H O N O U R T H E

W O R K O U R C O U N T R Y S H E A LT H J O U R N A L I S T S D O I N E D U C A T I N G P E O P L E A B O U T

H E A L T H C A R E I S S U E S .

U N D E R S T A N D I N G H E A L T H C A R E

I S S U E S I S B E C O M I N G I N C R E A S I N G LY

I M P O R T A N T W O R L D W I D E

he ability for health journalists to disl copious amounts of informaon into concise, easy

to read, and understandable language is a crical skill. The media plays an important role

in ensuring that members of the public receive factually accurate and relevant informaon that

helps them to make important decisions concerning their wellbeing. Given this important societal

role health journalists play in tackling complex healthcare issues, and in keeping the healthcare

industry accountable, it is important to recognise and honour the role health journalists play in

strengthening our countrys healthcare system.

W E R E C O G N I S E O U R C O U N T R Y SH E A LT H J O U R N A L I S T S A N D R A I S E T H E

B A R F O R H E A LT H C A R E R E P O R T I N G

he Discovery Health Journalism Awards recognise the role health journalists have in

society, and the Awards serve as a plaorm through which we encourage our countrys

health journalists to connuously aspire to a higher calibre of healthcare reporng. It is through

excellent, well-researched, and informave healthcare reporng that the media is able to make

a posive impact on our countrys healthcare system, and help to improve the quality of life for

many South Africans.


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D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H J O U R N A L I S M A W A R D S02

A L I F E - S A V I N G C A L L : When 24-year-old Madimo Mokgosi who has hepas autoimmune diseasereceived a call to inform her she had a new liver waing for her; she received a new chance at a healthy and producve life.


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I N T H E F U T U R E O F N V E S T I N GO U R N A L I S M

hen people choose to enter the journalism profession,

theres generally a healthy desire for knowledge coupled

with great curiosity and above all, a conscience to present a true

picture of the world to their audience.

Does this always happen? No, sadly not always but in South Africa

we can be proud that we do not have a pervasive culture of tabloid or

guer press as its known. We also have a ne record of free and

fair journalism.

Over the years South African journalism has exposed its public to all

sides of life from the shady to the shocking and the highly emove.

In 1976, front pages around the country featured a photo that would

become a symbol of the emergence of the ght against apartheid an

iconic image of Hector Pieterson being carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo

aer being shot by police. The photographer at the me, Sam Nzima

of The World newspaper, immediately went into hiding but the photo

remained.

Legends such as former Rand Daily Mail Editor Allistair Sparks and

Sunday Express Editor Rex Gibson with their crack invesgave

reporters like Ki Katzen, Chris Day, and Mervyn Rees, worked for two

years on cracking Muldergate, which in 1978 saw the truth emerging

that The Cizen newspaper had been set up and funded for the sole

purpose of being a mouthpiece for the ruling party of the day. And the

list goes on right up to todays stories of fraud and corrupon in our

society. Power will always need a monitor.

There have been aempts to muzzle the media but to date our

hardworking journalists are sll ghng to expose the truth. Truth

a journalists rst obligaon is inextricably linked with its

responsibility to its cizens. Not only to tell the truth, but to impact

the lives of its readers, viewers, and listeners.

Its not enough though to simply set out the facts. Good journalism

needs to engage, to capture our imaginaons and consciences.

There are some who would argue theres no need for journalists in

this age of digital technology aer all anyone can post a story. But

why, without journalisc accountability, would they bother to strive to

separate facts from half-truths, half-truths from lies?

Undoubtedly, the internet presents an important forum for cizen

journalism but real reporng is more than just a regurgitaon of facts

knowing that when you see a certain byline, the name of a trusted

journalist with a proven track record, you know youre in good hands

that the informaon they present will have been looked at from every

angle and veried by sources other than the original.

Today, more than ever, with a wealth of informaon available at

the touch of a buon, readers need to be able to si the truth from

the tale. This cannot be more important than in the eld of health

journalism, where peoples very lives can depend on accurate

reporng and correct advice.

AT D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H W E A R E P R O U D T O E N C O U R A G E A N D S P O N S O RO U T S TA N D I N G J O U R N A L I S M T O F I N D W R I T E R S W H O S T R I V E F O R N O T J U S T

A C C U R A C Y B U T E X C E L L E N C E I N B R I N G I N G T H E I R S T O R I E S T O Y O U, T H E R E A D E R .


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D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H J O U R N A L I S M A W A R D S04WINNER

I N A S K O S A N A | M A I L & G U A R D I A N

F T H E Y E A R

D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H

B E S T Y O U N G

U P C O M I N G

J O U R N A L I S T O F T H E

Y E A R A N D D I S C O V E R Y

F O U N D A T I O N

N A T I O N B U I L D E R

O U R N A L I S T

A N D

P R O F I L E

ven while studying for her BA degree in Journalism

at the University of Pretoria, Ina was reporng on

polics for Beeld newspapers campus edion. Aergraduang in 2010, this talented young writer started

out as a health reporter for The New Age.

Just two years later, Ina was selected as one of 10 South

African journalists to take up an Internaonal Womens

Health Foundaon HIV journalism fellowship. In her

third year of journalism Ina was chosen as a nalist in

the Discovery/loveLife young health reporter category

and today works in this eld at the Mail & Guardians

health journalism centre, Bhekisisa, where she now

mentors other students.

Constantly striving to improve her work, last year

Ina took part in a United Naons Populaon Fund

consultaon on maternal mortality and general

womens health coverage in Uganda.

With a porolio covering maternal health, non-

communicable diseases, teenage pregnancy, medical

and tradional circumcision as well as invesgang how

the Health Professions Council of South Africa deals

with paents complaints about doctors, Ina Skosana is

a denite force in the future of health reporng.


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D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H J O U R N A L I S M A W A R D S 05WINNER

J U D G E S C I T AT I O N

na Skosana won two other categories Discovery Foundaon Naon Builder Award and

the Young Upcoming Journalist of the Year Award, and she was a runner-up in the Health

News Reporng category. While she covered in depth the now familiar dysfuncons of the

public healthcare system, she also covered the funconal and service excellence in some parts

of the public health system which demonstrates that, despite the bleakness, there is a future

for a life-arming public healthcare system in South Africa.

Skosana demonstrates all the qualies of excellence in journalism well-researched facts,

excellent wring, probing of issues, providing context, and using a diversity of informave

experts and sources.

Her arcle Mothers haunted by hospital hell, that won the Best Young Upcoming Journalist

of the Year Award, tells the story of the death of two young women shortly aer delivering

babies in Mpumalanga. Skosana brings this important story in South Africa to life with

sensive narraves that paint the picture of the circumstances surrounding these deaths and

contextualises them within the larger story of the contribung role of the healthcare system

challenges. The story is well-invesgated, comprehensive, and mely, given the countrys lag

in achieving its Millennium Development targets.

In many ways, this looks at midwifery at an outlying rural hospital and is a story beaufully

craed with memorable case studies, thorough and interesng science, authoritave

sourcing, and thoughul contextualising. It displays excellent storytelling and skilful

structuring. In a category with exceponally strong entries, Ina Skosanas story stands out for

going the extra mile to bring the subject to life from all conceivable angles.

Ina Skosana has established herself as a health journalist to watch.

Y O U N G U P C O M I N G J O U R N A L I S T O F

T H E Y E A R F I N A L I S T

S I P H O S E T H U S T U U R M A NS A B C R A D I O , S T I G M A :

A barrier in ghng HIV and young and living with HIV

D I S C O V E R Y F O U N D A T I O N

N AT I O N B U I L D E R F I N A L I S T

K AT H A R I N E C H I L DT H E T I M E S :

Orange Farm gives world hope

FINALISTS


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A W O M A N W I T H A D R E A M : Dr Neliswa Gogela who received the inaugural Discovery FoundaonMGH Fellowship Award is currently conducng research at the Massachuses General Hospital in Boston, USA, on liver

disease and liver transplantaon. Her research will strengthen South Africas understanding of liver disease.


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What is the Discovery Foundaon about?

The Discovery Foundaon was established in 2006 with the

express purpose of addressing the crical shortage of medical

specialists, parcularly in the public health sector. Discovery commied

more than R100m over 10 years to train around 300 doctors. But rst we

needed to be absolutely clear where the needs were, so we commissioned

independent research and found where these lay both within rural and

other areas for specialist intervenon.

Specically, in terms of rural specialist gaps, we found whenmedical specialists le rural areas they werent being

replaced and while government, the NGO sector, and

terary instuons were training these people, they

werent addressing the gaps that were widening.

This was an area we felt we needed to address.

How did the Discovery Foundaon

Naon Builder Award come about?

Now in our eighth year of the

Discovery Foundaon weve

have made huge strides in bringing

more medical specialists into the public

healthcare sector. We felt it was the right

me to bring in this award to promote and

talk about the amazing work done by our

countrys medical professionals.

There are so many great stories of doctors who

have received Discovery Foundaon Awards

and made amazing intervenons within their

specialies. For instance Dr Chris Sco, a paediatric

rheumatologist, who himself was aicted with this

illness, making him aware of the very few specialists in

this area. Now through the Discovery Foundaon, hes

been able to not only treat children suering from

this illness but train more people with the scholarship

weve provided.

I N T E R V I E W W I T H :

R U T H L E W I N | D I S C O V E R Y H E A D O FC O R P O R A T E S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

N E W A W A R DC A T E G O R Y

N T R O D U C E S

D I S C O V E R Y H E A LT H

J O U R N A L I S M A W A R D S


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How does the award e in with Discoverys vision of being a

force for social good in society?

Discovery as a business sees itself in everything it does as

a force for social good. Whether through our healthcare or

short-term insurance, were trying to posively impact on peoples

lives. Through our corporate social investment programmes we aim to

make that impact as well.

How do you think this award will add value to health

journalism in South Africa?

Very oen theres media focus around negave stories such

as the lack of facilies in primary healthcare. The award

will prole the wonderful individuals who will hopefully become the

impetus for others doing medical studies to think about what they can

do when specialising.

By proling the work done in these beauful rural sengs we hope

to aract more people to work there. The journalists who cover these

stories can talk about the kind of health problems these communies

have and the need for ordinary people to get access to basic

healthcare. Its not just about selling a dicult working environment

but to show the posives that exist in these communies.

What are the rewards for these healthcare professionals who

give so much?

Working in these areas you have to deal with a whole range

of medical condions, so healthcare professionals will gain

unique experience. Your work crosses into gynaecology, nursing,

pharmaceucal so the training ground is quite phenomenal.

Why dont we see enough of these stories?

There are so few resources available for journalists touncover them. These doctors operate in academic hospitals,

rural primary healthcare facilies, or district hospitals you really have

to go in search of these stories. This award gives us the opportunity

to say weve got a set of people for you if youre just open to it.

Were not looking to create an adversement for ourselves. We really

want to celebrate these amazing people who work under dicult

condions. When you cover these stories you nd a whole host of

others doing similar work in those facilies.

What role do these healthcare professionals play in these

communies?

They really try and engender condence in a healthcare

system that provides good access and quality. Very oen

these medical professionals are the only ones in these communies.

They play the social worker, teacher they live next door to the same

people they work with and treat so it becomes an extension of not

only the healthcare system but of the socio-economic condions

under which people live. This work allows us to extend our support

way beyond purely giving healthcare services. Were geng a greater

understanding of what it is that development means in our country.

Its not just about a rural clinic but about the access available. Having a

road so an ambulance can reach people, water, and sanitaon, which

good healthcare is dependent on. The people who work and live there

become your responsibility, your conduit for informaon. This is so

important for us if we truly talk about being a force for social good.

Why is Discovery so passionate about promong good

news stories?

As a company with its roots rmly in South Africa, we are

excited and posive about our countrys future. Together

with impetus from our CEO Adrian Gore, we really try and push

the fact that so much good happens in South Africa every day. We

understand the challenges but believe if we can promote whats good

we can really galvanise people around idenfying those challenges

with a far more open approach. It cant just be governments

responsibility alone or the private sector or civil society. We need to

work together as a country to address these challenges and a great

place to start is a good news story!

What sll needs to be done in the area of rural healthcare?

We have a fair way to go in addressing the shortages around

medical specialists. This isnt a quick x. Were aiming to

achieve our inial goal within the 10 year mark, but are commied to

going way beyond 2016. Hopefully through the course of this annual

award we can get more support and investment for medical specialists

within South Africa.


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P R O F I L E

s a previous four-me winner of Discovery Health

Journalism Awards, Chris, News Editor of the South

African Medical Journal, has 20 years of Newspaper Experience,

including courts, crime, and polical reporng before nding his

home in health wring.

A rst language Zulu speaker, Chris tesed at the Truth and

Reconciliaon Commission where Archbishop Tutu commended

him on his expos of the 1980s Gugulethu Seven murders.

In 2008 Chris won the Cape Town Press Clubs Senior Journalist

of the Year Award for a story on the potenal collapse of rural

healthcare delivery.


n his arcle Doctor shortages: Unpacking the Cuban

soluon Chris Bateman provides an excellent analysis of the

governments aempt to address the need for more doctors by

sending trainees to Cuba. He does an impressive job of bringing

together the dierent views of experts and academics in medical

training to demonstrate how the soluon might not necessarily

address the problem and might even create new problems. In

this regard, Bateman demonstrates a depth of understanding the

issue in ways that are illuminang and can inform decisions on

medical training in our society in the future.

C H R I S B A T E M A N | S A M E D I C A L J O U R N A L

O M M E N T A R Y

B E S T H E A LT H

N A LY S I S A N D

WINNER

P I E T E R - L O U I S M Y B E R G H

R APPOR T:Nuwe gesig, nuwe hoop

FINALIST


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I N T E R V I E W W I T H :

D R J O N A T H A N B R O O M B E R G | D I S C O V E R Y H E A L T H C E O

E P O R T I N GE A L T H C A R EA P O W E R F U L T O O L

F O R C H A N G E

Do you feel todays health journalists are well enough equipped to

report accurately on health issues?

Many of our health journalists are well-equipped. Theyve been in

the eld for quite a long me and the quality of reporng is very

good. The issues are oen complex ones, moving and changing quickly.

Younger reporters will need to get up to speed but in general, we believe

the quality is of a high standard.

Should the public trust the media?

Many journalists report in an objecve,

well-researched way but there are some

who regurgitate press releases from corporates,

government, and others. People must read

crically and although theres a lot of

informaon you can trust, neither journalists

nor the public should necessarily believe

everything they read.

What are the key areas that

media should be looking at?

The issue of non-communicable diseases

of lifestyle and how these are

impacng health all over the

world. New medical technology

and its complexies always

interest people along with a

whole range of new medical

treatments. At Discovery

Health were interested in

the relaonship between the

public and private healthcare

sectors and the proposed NHI

(Naonal Health Insurance) scheme,

which are of great interest to the public.


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Worldwide people are living longer meaning an ageing

society imposing a heavier burden on healthcare costs. How

can the media help?

Each of us face health challenges as we get older, and for

society, aording healthcare becomes an issue. Science shows

a good middle and older age life comes from invesng early in a

healthy lifestyle, long-term exercise, and good nutrion. The message

isnt only about what you do when youre older but what you startdoing when youre a young person. The media are crical in geng

this message across.

The escalaon of healthcare costs seems to be unsolvable

what should the public be aware of here?

Healthcare costs increasing faster than consumer inaon is a

global challenge. The causes are complex but not impossible

to understand and quite oen the public and policians tend to nd

scapegoats, and are simplisc in their diagnoses. The media are vital in

informing the public about what drives healthcare costs. Individuals and

families can beer control their own costs when the media provides

them with guidelines on using the healthcare system responsibly.

The buzzword in healthcare these days is diseases of lifestyle

is the media doing enough to spread the word in combang

these illnesses or does fast food adversing nullify their good work?

The media in recent years has started to wake up to this

global pandemic of diseases of lifestyle and in South Africa

weve seen a gradual increase in media focus. There could be a lot

more, both in idenfying and helping people understand the risks

spreading the message on how simple, sustainable lifestyle changes

can alter whole sociees and populaons. Theres a mixed message

when the same media carry adversing for junk food, so drinks,sugar, and fat, but thats how the world works. I think that people are

intelligent enough to absorb the right messages while dealing with the

barrage of adversing as well.

One of the biggest problems in South Africa is the exodus of

top quality healthcare praconers how does Discovery

Health feel about this and what can you do to halt or even reverse

this situaon?

Over the last few decades weve lost signicant numbers of

our best and brightest doctors, but we sll have an outstanding

group of specialists and GPs in this country, who are up there with the

best in the world. In some areas theres a shortage but we have beer

and quicker access to high quality healthcare in the private healthcare

system than anywhere in the world. The Discovery Foundaon is

contribung to the training of about 300 new doctors over the next

few years. We believe government also needs to make it easier for

skilled doctors from other countries to work here by cung through the

bureaucracy that makes this challenging.

One stasc suggests that more than 40% of consumers say

informaon found via social media aects the way they deal

with their health what do you say to this?

This is a global phenomenon because the internet has

exposed cizens worldwide to a huge amount of new health

informaon. Quite oen more informaon than a doctor may have at a

parcular point in me. Our view is that this is very posive. People can

empower themselves learn and nd out more informaon, and work

with their doctors to use this informaon in the appropriate context.

The NHI plan is supposedly the blueprint for the countrys

healthcare improvement but presents mulple challenges

for the healthcare industry. How do you see Discovery Healths

parcipaon in these plans?

We see NHI as a possible avenue for bringing together the

best of the private and public healthcare systems. We hope

the private sector can be seen as an asset for the country that can

strengthen the public sector in areas where its very weak. The NHI

could be a soluon for all our healthcare problems but only if we

tackle these in a deep and serious way, not simply imagining this could

be a simple soluon to complex issues.

The government say they want to close the inequality gaps

between public and private healthcare to improve the

standard of the public healthcare system and reduce private sector

costs is this a reality or a pipedream?

Closing the inequality gap in healthcare and other social

sectors such as housing or educaon, is a legimate aspiraon

which we strongly support. Neither government nor civil society can

aord to be glib or believe its an easy thing to do. The faster we grow

this economy and create jobs, the faster well close the unemployment

and equity gaps.

How can you harness the power of the media to improve the

quality of peoples health?

For a long me weve seen the media playing a valuable role

in providing our clients and the general public with important

informaon about health risks and behavioural changes they can

make to improve their health and wellness. Our enre philosophy

globally with Vitality is about creang incenves to movate people to

change behaviour which begins with informaon that the media can

certainly provide to the public.

Do you think enough reporng is focused on people living

in rural areas and the challenges they face, parcularly in

healthcare?

People living in rural areas are a crically important and

untold story. Our media across the board, not just in health

but generally, do not focus nearly enough on this part of our countrysstory. We all need to learn a lot more about the plight and the

struggles of our fellow South Africans living outside of our cies and

understand their health and economic issues beer.

How big a problem is illiteracy in this area in terms of

creang awareness and disseminang informaon?

Illiteracy is a big challenge but radio is a very popular and

powerful medium in this country and as much a part of the

media as print or anything else. Mobile telephony and communicang

via sms and other mobile mechanisms is increasingly possible, so

illiteracy is not as big a challenge as we somemes think it is. South

Africa has also made signicant strides in tackling illiteracy since 1994.


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A F A M I LY M A K I N G M E D I C A L H I S T O R Y : The Lowe family is raising awareness of a rare condion in order to give otherswhat their daughter, Jenna, didnt have: the benet of early diagnosis. In the process they could change the future of medicine in South Africa.


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T A M A R K A H N | B U S I N E S S D AY

P R O F I L E

ith an MBA, an MSc in Science Communicaon, and

a BSc (Hons) in Physics and European Studies, Tamar

is well equipped for her role as Science and Health Editor for

Business Day. Her experience covers wring on healthcare policy,

polics, economics, business, and science on local discoveries

and policy issues.

With a parcular interest in science communicaon, shes spoken

at several internaonal conferences on the dicules South

African reporters face in covering emerging science. Tamar also

holds mulple journalism awards including two Discovery Health

Journalism Awards, and from the USA The Rosalynn Carter

Mental Health Journalism Fellowship and Clive Menell Media

Fellowship from Duke University.


or a health story to make the front page lead of a serious business newspaper is

no small achievement. If the main source of the story (Cape Health boss warns

on hospital takeovers) is a former ocial who is not known for his accessibility

to the media, it is further tesmony to the journalists credibility, built up over a

consistent career. It is Tamar Kahns posioning and the faith that sources have in

her that ensured that the news story on budget cuts to the Western Capes training

hospitals amid the centralisaon of hospitals, was broken. She pursued the news

tenaciously and the exposure changed the prospects for a provinces healthcare

provision and the leaked plans were reversed.

WINNER

E P O R T I N G

B E S T H E A LT H

E W S

P I E T E R - L O U I S M Y B E R G H

R APPOR T:

Nuwe gesig, nuwe hoop

FINALIST


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B E S T H E A LT H

N V E S T I G A T I V EE P O R T I N G

J E A N N E V A N D E R M E R W E

C I T Y P R E S S

T H A N D U X O L O J I K A

C I T Y P R E S S

Z I N H L E M A P U M U L O

C I T Y P R E S S


ampant corrupon, incompetence, and lack of accountability dene healthcare delivery in South Africa today.

The connuing spate of hospital horrors never seems to abate and is hotly debated through various media

plaorms. The series of arcles collecvely referred to as, The Damaged Generaon highlights how this problem has

impacted children through negligence during childbirth. With in-depth, hard-hing analysis, Zinhle Mapumulo, Jeanne

Van der Merwe, and Thanduxolo Jika bring to light this crical issue and the consequenal eects on childhood mental

development. The growing problem of medico-legal malpracce is discussed in careful context and success stories are

detailed. This team is to be congratulated on an eort that represents the pinnacle of invesgave reporng.

C O N T I N U E T O N E X T P A G E


22/40


P R O F I L E SJEANNE VAN DER MERWE | City Press

er starng out at the Cape Argus reporng on general news, educaon,

and jusce, Jeanne moved to the grier world of the Sunday Times where

she covered polics and parliament. Seven years later saw Jeanne moving to award-

winning travel magazine Weg, working both in the editorial eld and reporng on

issues aecng travellers in Southern Africa. Three years ago she joined Media24s

Invesgaons Unit where she reports on the banking and transport sectors, the

Naonal Loery, and business interests of various polical gures.

THANDUXOLO JIKA | City Press

When Thanduxolo set out to spend a month living with Somalis in their Spaza shops

in the Eastern Cape, recording the dreadful acts of xenophobia in the area, he didnt

realise these stories would lead to winning mulple journalism awards. These exposs

saw ex-Rhodes graduate Thanduxolo winning the 2010 Vodacom Journalism Features

Award and the coveted CNN African Journalist of the Year Award. Aer graduang in

2004, his early work at the Daily Dispatch covering court reporng, crime, polics, and

special invesgaons prepared him well for his current work as Senior Invesgaons

Reporter at Media24.

ZINHLE MAPUMULO | City Press

No stranger to winning awards, Zinhle has scooped up three top journalism awards

since 2009, including Discovery Health: Best Health News Reporng both in 2009 and

2010, Best Newspaper Reporng: Brandhouse Media Awards in 2012, and recently

she walked away with the Matata Tshedu Best News Report in the City Press in-house

awards. Having worked as a health correspondent for The New Age and The Sowetan

newspapers, as well as several magazines, she is now concentrang on her health

wring at the City Press newspaper.

I N A S K O S A N A

M A I L & G U A R D I A N :

Mothers haunted by hospital hell

FINALIST


23/40


P A U L A C H O W L E S | e N C A

E P O R T I N G

B E S T H E A LT H

E L E V I S I O N

P R O F I L E

now familiar face on our TV screens, Paula has been at eNCA

since its launch in 2008. This has taken her all over the country

from the marbled halls of Parliament to the rolling hills of KwaZulu-

Natal, reporng on a broad range of stories for the news channel.

Winner of the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Television Award in both

2010 and 2011, Paula travelled to CNN for an internaonal fellowship

at their headquarters in Atlanta. Now based in Cape Town, Paula has

been reporng from the legislave capital as eNCAs parliamentary

correspondent but has always gravitated toward health reporng,

especially on issues related to HIV and TB.


ecve healthcare delivery depends on the availability of high

quality medicines, generally controlled and regulated by largepharmaceucal companies who protect their interests through

patenng. This phenomenon has shaped healthcare delivery worldwide.

In her arcle (The cost of patent laws), Paula Chowles tackles this very

relevant issue through in-depth, thoughul narrave of the nuances

and ever greening of patenng, which she contextualises against the

backdrop of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Through selecve expert comment and real-life experience, she

presents a thought-provoking perspecve on the issue. The piece is

also relevant to the emerging Intellectual Property Act, bringing to

light the liming factors hampering low-cost medical intervenons. An

outstanding example of journalisc excellence.

T E R E N C E P I L L AYC A R T E B L A N C H E :

Addington Hospital saga

J U L I E L A U R E N ZC A R T E B L A N C H E :

Addington Hospital saga

FINALISTS

WINNER


24/40


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Are enough tough quesons being asked when covering

medical issues especially about the areas where people need

the medicaon most?

Journalists are asking the really tough quesons. One of the

interesng things in the entries for the Discovery Health

Journalism Invesgave Awards and Best Commentary and Analysis

Award, was to see how the journalists asked tough quesons about

the private and public healthcare sectors and development, not just

here but in other parts of the world. Im proud of that fact.

How important is television and radio in healthcare reporng?

They are very important in a country like ours where

universal literacy is not a reality. Television is visual and

really helps people. This is a more visual/audio than print country

and radio is also very important in reaching people across society

because newspapers and television dont reach all our communies.

The unique factor of radio is that it uses all our naonal languages.

Theres nothing beer than reaching somebody in their own language.

Where do social media writers t into healthcare reporng

bloggers for instance?

Social media doesnt have an editor to be selecve and

journalists who adhere to a parcular code of conduct

around being informave, ethical, and handling informaon for the

public. The blogosphere is a free-for-all. Unfortunately using social

media to spread bad informaon is quite popular but fortunatelyits an addion to media we should celebrate. The danger is that its

unchecked media to a certain extent and therein lies the problem.

Are you seeing improvement in the entries year by year?

Absolutely. Its geng harder for us to make our short list

and we spend quite a lot of me debang the best entries.

Thats the value of awards like this they really inject an element of

incenvising excellence.

Do we have enough specialised journalists in healthcare?

A number of people who enter every year own a parcular

topic or area. Whether reading or listening to our media,

youll nd dedicated health journalists and, importantly, editors who

think this is an important issue. Our country suers a huge disease

burden, so we need more journalists, more coverage, and more space

given to health journalism.

Do you think we should have more advocacy journalism in

healthcare?

We need health advocacy journalism in a big way. If were

going to defeat the burden of disease, create awareness

about condions that could be alleviated, or are not yet a pandemic or

crises, thats what we really need. Take HIV and Aids you dont need

to die of this today but we need more journalists telling people to get

tested, get treatment, and to help remove the sgma.

With social media, how can we ensure a balance of news

about medicine against services, costs, and quality?

Diversity of media is important to give accurate and

balanced reporng on the abundance of informaon out

there. We dont have enough journalists or publicaons covering

health issues. Just as polical news, sport, and economics is important,

health journalism must also be part of the diet.

Should there be more cooperaon between researchers,

private companies, public instuons, and the media to

deliver accurate and mely informaon on health issues?

Health informaon is public informaon which means it

not only lives in the government sector but in the private

sector and NGOs. The private sector, medical schemes, people who

produce drugs, sciensts, and universies who do research we

need a collaborave, collecve eort, which through public media

puts accurate informaon in the public domain in a way that enables

people to lead healthier lives.

Are journalists somemes swayed by companies sponsoring

research (with vested interests) using drug trial results to

push a story?

The best way for journalists not to be swayed by parcular

drug companies or providers of any healthcare services,

is to be crical about the informaon they get. Not that its notrelevant but it needs to be looked at by a second crical eye. You

need to get independent expert opinion, and also see what coverage

there is around the same issues. In that way you create a balanced

story without ignoring innovaons that could be interesng from a

parcular drug company.


26/40


P R O F I L E

iphos love is rmly in electronic media. Aer graduang

from Rhodes University he found himself working for

non-prot media organisaons such as Health-e where he was

introduced to health journalism. It turned out to be a good move

for Sipho who won the Discovery Health Journalism Award for

Radio in 2012, followed by the 2013 Internaonal Womens Media

Foundaon HIV and Aids Invesgave Reporng Fellowship.

Experienced in online and TV journalism Sipho even has music

presenter on his CV aer a short snt with Kfms late night show,

followed by wring TV news at eNCA leading to his current job as

a reporter for SABC News.


well-told radio story, built on narrave journalism, which

takes the listener into the hearts and minds of the subjects.

In his story (Young and living with HIV), Sipho Stuurman gave a

voice to young people living with HIV and the challenges they

face. Stuurmans story was a dierent take on the way HIV sgma

stories are told, giving us a glimpse into the lives of two young

HIV posive people. He did a commendable job in dealing with a

subject that sll remains sensive in South Africa.

S I P H O S E T H U S T U U R M A N | S A B C R A D I O

O U R N A L I S M

B E S T H E A LT H

A D I O

WINNER

S I S I S E G A L O

S A B C R A D I O :Maternal

FINALIST


27/40


D A R R E N T AY L O R | V O I C E O F A M E R I C A

O R E I G N

M E D I A

O U R N A L I S M :B E S T H E A LT H

P R O F I L E

ased in Johannesburg, Darren is the Africa Features

Correspondent for Voice of America radio.

He focuses parcularly on the connents struggles against highly

infecous diseases, including HIV and tuberculosis highlighng issues

oen unheard of outside Africa.

An area Darren parcularly enjoys, is wring stories on health workers

who are improving and saving lives against all odds, using descripve

wring and the sounds he records around him to take readers and

listeners on a journey into an issue.

Before working for VOA Darren reported for various internaonal

and South African media, including SABC, BBC, and Mail & Guardian.


he Bulungula Incubator NGOs unorthodox method of bringing

health and hope to their far-ung HIV-ravaged community makes

for an unexpected, o-beat, and thought-provoking story. Making

innovave use of sound and characterisaon, Darren Taylor paints a

vivid sound picture of African community life for an American audience

that may have lile insight into the beliefs and issues that inuence HIV

infecon. While sensive to the ethical dilemmas around tesng and

sgma, the story sets the tone for a robust approach to looking for new

soluons to a seemingly insurmountable problem.


28/40


M O V E W I T H A M I S S I O N : Fit, happy, healthy children develop into healthy, well-adjusted adults. The younger people startlooking aer their health through regular physical acvity and healthy eang, the beer it is for their long-term health and wellbeing.


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30/40



31/40


C O M I N G I N T O A

N E W E R A

O U R N A L I S M

ho would have thought they would ever receive the latest

news in just 140 characters? Or that the person on the

street would on occasion be geng the news out before leading news

agencies? Rapid technological change means that younger people,

especially, are turning to the internet for their news. Developing

viable digital strategies is becoming ever more urgent for media

organisaons.

Professor Harry Dugmore, the Director of the Discovery Centre for

Health Journalism at Rhodes University, shares a healthy dose of

opmism with a sidebar of scepcism on the future of South African

journalism. The biggest challenge for South African media is certainlydigital transformaon. The old newspaper/magazine adversing-centric

model is becoming less and less viable. We need to come up with new

ways of paying for well-researched, fair, in-depth journalism.

Talk to most journalists and editors and theyll look down their nose

at the term cizen journalism, but more and more, these eye witness

accounts of whats happening around us are becoming the norm.

Armed with a cellphone camera and a keyboard, rst-hand reports of

major events are increasing daily.

According to Dugmore, everybody having the ability to be an eye

witness and a reporter opens things up. It makes it much more

dicult for repressive, authoritarian regimes to try and control

things. Weve seen this in China where they have severe censorship

and online controls but even they cant keep a lid on everything.

But cizen journalism has its own dangers as well. Whose voices are

authenc, or whose are being manipulated by government or big

business? We have to hope ordinary people have enough common

sense to lter through all the compeng voices and arrive at a close

approximaon to the truth.

South Africa has one of the most advanced Constuons in the world,

which has ensured that since 1994, there has been substanal press

freedom. The Protecon of State Informaon Bill passed into law

by parliament in April 2013 is nevertheless a serious threat to this

freedom. Mostly as a result of passing this law, in the 2013 Reporters

without Borders Index of Press Freedom report, South Africa ranked

10 places lower (now 52ndout of 179 countries) in terms of these

vital freedoms.

In a recent statement Sanef (South African Naonal Editors Forum)

stated, South Africa remains a beacon of press freedom on the

African connent, but that status has come under real threat from

new legislave proposals, from hosle polical rhetoric and from the

conduct of some senior state ocials.

Freedom of the press in South Africa is of great concern to anybody

who is involved in the media, comments Dugmore. Recently

weve seen some of the overt legislave threat diminish a bit, but

there are newer and possibly more dangerous long-term threats to

press freedom.

So perhaps were going back to the Apartheid era days of advocacy

journalism, or journalism where a strong bias towards a parcular

world view becomes the norm. Ive always felt that advocacy

journalism is a bit of a dicult term because all journalists have a

point of view. Although we train young journalists to be fair and

balanced, theres always some kind of point that comes through.

In health journalism in parcular one has to always advocate for

good health, and be evidence-based with a compelling story to tell.

Just taking real care to do no harm even thats a form of advocacy

journalism, explains Dugmore.

Whichever way you look at it, journalism shapes opinion. We need

to be careful about not confusing the audience, and making

sure we do as lile harm as possible while sll giving out useful and

clear informaon.

Theres a lot of young talent bursng out of journalism schools

wanng to tell the full story to get to the boom of things. Im

really pleased that a high percentage of our students graduate and

go on to become ne journalists and excellent communicators. The

challenge for them and all of us is nding the business model going

forward that can support in-depth journalism in the digital age.

You dont become a journalist for the fame or the money. You do it

because there are stories that have to be told that can make a vital

dierence to peoples lives.

N O T S I N C E T H E I N V E N T I O N O F T H E P R I N T I N G P R E S S H A S T H E W R I T T E N W O R D

S E E N M O R E C H A N G E S . N E W S O R G A N I S A T I O N S A R O U N D T H E W O R L D H A V E

F A C E D T H E C H A L L E N G E O F C O M P E T I N G N O T O N L Y F O R N E W R E A D E R S B U T

E V E N H O L D I N G O N T O T H E I R E X I S T I N G , O F T E N A G E I N G P R I N T O R B R O A D C A S T

A U D I E N C E S . A D D F R E E D O M O F T H E P R E S S I N T O T H E M I X A N D Y O U H A V E T H E

S T AT E O F T H E M E D I A I N S O U T H A F R I C A


32/40


P R O F I L E

s Editor of Leefstyl, the lifestyle secon of Beeld, Rie covers

many topics, but is parcularly interested in medical maers.

Her interest started while sll a journalism student at the University

of Pretoria, where she compiled the Media Scan newsleer for the

South African Medical Associaon. Two further degrees in media and

journalism led to her current posion working for Beeld, Die Burger,

and Volksblad.

Wring on a variety of topics from mental and physical health to

entrepreneurship, parenng, and children, puts Rie in the perfect

posion for wring on the area that aects her readers most health.

J U D G E S C I T A T I O N

iee Groblers succinct and snappy arcle Brein soos n

resiesmotor dispels the myth that ADHD (Aenon Decit and

Hyperacvity Disorder) only aects children. Her well-wrien arcle

draws aenon to the misdiagnosis of the condion and highlights

techniques for managing the symptoms of ADHD. The piece is well-

researched and provides a snapshot of what the disorder is and links

readers to further assistance.

R I T T E G R O B L E R | D I E B U R G E R

E A T U R E

I F E S T Y L EB E S T H E A LT H

LY D I A V A N D E R M E R W E

S A R I E :

Fokus op ADHD

FINALIST

WINNER


33/40


P R O F I L E

he Discovery Health Journalist of the Year in 2013, Mia started out

at the SABC as a reporter. Mia soon realised her passion lay in health

reporng, parcularly in teaching and mentoring young journalists in this eld.

Aer seng up the rst health journalism programme in both Kenya and

Washington for Internews Network, she returned to South Africa to train

SOWETO TV reporters, establishing a weekly health programme.

Today Mia is the founding director at the Mail & Guardians Health Journalism

Centre, Bhekisisa, as well as being the papers Health Editor.


his is a gripping feature on an easily overlooked, small community-

based home for the mentally disabled where a handful of mentally

disabled people nd sanctuary from a world that seems to have no place

for them. Paents and caregivers are delicately observed and the feature

is wrien with exquisite aenon to detail. The piece (If they are raped so

what), is well-structured around themes that are fully developed. The story

leaves no avenue of inquiry unexplored as it tells of struggles to secure hope.

What nally shines through is the commitment of the home and its supporters

to facilitate a measure of dignity for their residents, giving them a chance to

have love and purpose, despite tremendous odds.

WINNER

M I A M A L A N | M A I L & G U A R D I A N

B E S T H E A LT H

A N D

O N S U M E R R E P O R T I N G

E AT U R E W R I T I N G

LY D I A V A N D E R M E R W E

S A R I E :Depressie

FINALIST


34/40


S P R E A D I N G

T H E W O R D O N

E A L T H YI V I N G

A C C O R D I N G T O T H E L A T E S T S T A T I S T I C S A L M O S T H A L F O F S O U T H

A F R I C A N S O V E R T H E A G E O F 1 5 A R E O V E R W E I G H T O R O B E S E . A S A D A N D

U N N E C E S S A R Y S T A T I S T I C T H A T C A N B E A L T E R E D W I T H A F E W S I M P L EL I F E S T Y L E C H A N G E S . M O R E I M P O R T A N T L Y , T H E L A T E S T R E S E A R C H B Y T H E

W O R L D H E A L T H O R G A N I Z A T I O N H A S L I N K E D O B E S I T Y N O T J U S T T O T Y P E 2

D I A B E T E S A N D H E A R T D I S E A S E , B U T T O C A N C E R T O O .

Nossel reects that when he qualied in the mid-ninees there was

lile, if any, emphasis on prevenve medicine and lifestyle-related

illness in his medical training. We need to relook at the healthcare

delivery system and involve healthcare professionals in the decisions

that paents are making outside of consulng rooms.

We know how important a healthy lifestyle is, but the challenge

is changing peoples behaviour. No one is protected when it comes

to these illnesses. The colour of your skin, your socio-economic

status means nothing if you dont look aer your health youre at

risk. We need to diagnose these condions early on through cost-

eecve screening programmes, so that we help prevent the many

complicaons associated with lifestyle-related illnesses. Medicaon

is crical, but so are the choices around being physically acve, not

smoking, and following a healthier diet. Paents need assistance in

changing their behaviours.

temming the de of this pandemic may be as simple as changing

our lifestyles. Prevenon is beer than cure and more now than

ever, the media plays a key role in spreading the word. People need to

take responsibility for their health and above all understand the real

meaning of wellness. They need well-researched, informave, useful

informaon brought to them by journalists with a passion for changing

their audiences lives.

We know that globally chronic diseases of lifestyle have a major

impact. No ones immune. Were seeing big growth in the lower socio-

economic groups and what we call the mature populaon, of high

cholesterol, blood pressure, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Its an

epidemic linked to lifestyle, explains Dr Craig Nossel, Head of

Vitality Wellness.

Over the last few decades we have seen a signicant shi in our

lifestyles we move less and we eat more, parcularly more sugar,

salt, and fat. Its become harder for us to make healthy choices,

because our environments make less desirable opons much easier

for us he adds.


35/40


We all lead very busy lives, whether you are a senior execuve, a busy

house wife, or a call centre agent. Finding me in the day to exercise

or to prepare a healthy meal is not always easy. We dont oen

appreciate the long-term value of these choices, so we learn from the

behavioural economists how we need to nudge people and incenvise

them to make healthy choices today that will benet them in the years

to come.

People also need to nd things that they enjoy, possibly with family

and friends, which will make the acvies more sustainable. One such

iniave is the parkrun, which was started just over a year ago by

running legend Bruce Fordyce, with about 15 people at the Delta Park

bird sanctuary. Today, over 75 000 people walk, jog, or run 5kms in

over 30 park areas around the country at no cost. The reason its so

popular is the social interacon, not just the running. To make things

sustainable they need to be enjoyable. Its no dierent to following a

healthy diet. The noon that healthy food is tasteless or expensive is

wrong and we need to change that percepon. Its not about banning

certain foods but making good, balanced nutrious decisions.

If were talking about changing lifestyle percepons and habits we

also need to look at our children. Healthy kids make healthy adults

but sadly schools are not always inslling this when it comes to

exercise or eang. At school the focus is too oen around compeve

sport which results in many of the kids being le on the side of the

elds. We need to build a lifelong love of exercise. Schools should be

measured on how many of their learners are sll parcipang in some

form of sport a few years aer nishing school, as opposed to the

winning record of their rst team. It will be great to see kids playing

games and developing fundamental skills that will help them be

healthier later in life, enthuses Nossel.

We need to look at how we can help people make the best choices.

Some people are well informed and look aer themselves but the

majority of us nd it very dicult. We must look at whether we have a

posive or negave environment from a health perspecve, as well as

the broader environments where we spend our me

the workplace and school. Businesses and government should be

buying into this if they want a producve and healthy workforce.

S C H O O L S H A V E S I M I L A R

R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S ; H E A L T H Y

E A T I N G A N D B A N N I N G

S M O K I N G A R E P O L I C I E S T H A T

S H O U L D A P P L Y A R O U N D T H E

W O R K P L A C E A N D S C H O O L S .

T H E F A C T T H A T A N Y O N E

I S A L L O W E D T O S M O K E

O N S C H O O L G R O U N D S I S

U N A C C E P T A B L E B U T T H E R E

A R E C U R R E N T L Y N O L A W S T O

S A Y T E A C H E R S O R P A R E N T S

CANT SM O KE.

" AT T H E S A M E T I M E , T H E R E

I S A G R E A T O P P O R T U N I T Y

T O U S E T U C K S H O P S A S P A R T

O F N U T R I T I O N E D U C A T I O N

B Y P R O M O T I N G H E A L T H Y

E A T I N G . W E C A N S E N D O U T

T H E R I G H T M E S S A G E A N D H E L P

K I D S D E V E L O P G O O D C H O I C E S

A R O U N D W H A T T H E Y R E

B U Y I N G . "

W E V E S E E N W I T H T H E

V I T A L I T Y H E A L T H Y F O O D

B E N E F I T T H A T B Y L O W E R I N G

T H E C O S T O F H E A L T H Y F O O D ,

P E O P L E W I L L B U Y M O R E

H E A L T H Y O P T I O N S , B U T A L S O

L E S S O F T H E U N H E A L T H Y

O P T I O N S . T H E R E A R E

C E R T A I N L Y O P P O R T U N I T I E S

H E R E F O R G O V E R N M E N T A N D

B U S I N E S S T O W O R K T O G E T H E R

T O E N C O U R A G E T H E S E S O R T

O F C H A N G E S I N T H E C H O I C E S

C O N S U M E R S M A K E .


36/40


P R O F E S S O R T A W A N A K U P EC O N V E N E R

eputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance, HR, and Transformaon) at Wits University,

Professor Kupes background is rmly in media, where he lectured in

journalism and media studies both in South Africa and overseas. As well as having

judged many media awards, Professor Kupe has also seen numerous young journalists

go through his doors, easily recognising talent when he sees it.

Professor Kupe holds Honours and Masters degrees in English and a Doctor of

Philosophy degree in Media Studies from the University of Oslo in Norway. He has

been a judge of a number of journalism and media awards including the Vodacom

Journalism of the Year Award (of which he was a founding judge), the MTN Women

in the Media Awards, the SADC Media Awards and Webber Wentzel Legal Journal

Journalist of the Year Award.

U D G E S R O F I L E S

A N N A - M A R I A L O M B A R D

nna-Maria has won three CNN African Journalist Awards and

is a former Discovery Health Journalist of the Year winner.

Anna-Maria is the current Editor and Lead Writer for Scratch, a

community newspaper, and has developed the television series; On

Call, which has been commissioned by DStv Mzansi Magic. She has been

covering the Oscar Pistorius trial from court and produced background

documentaries for Carte Blanches Oscar Pistorius Trial channel.

Anna-Maria is currently developing another two major television series;

one will focus on the development of internaonal criminal jusce and

the second on arsanal mining in the gold and planum sectors.


37/40


D R N I C O L A J . C H R I S T O F I D E S

cademic co-ordinator for the Masters in Public Health at Wits

University, Nicolas interest lies in the social determinants of health

and social and behaviour change communicaon. Having worked on various

projects from tropical diseases at WHO to womens health and gender-based

violence, Nicola brings her extensive health background to these Awards.

Nicola holds a PhD from Emory University in the United States and a Masters

of Public Health.

S I K I M G A B A D E L I

former winner in the TV categories of the Telkom ICT Journalist

of the Year and Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year, Siki is

a familiar face for followers of SABCs Big Debate show. With a

background in business journalism, her insights add another dimension to

this years judging panel. She is currently the Business Editor at POWER FM.

Having worked at Summit TV, SABC, eTV and CNBC Africa, Siki is a sought-

aer MC and has facilitated panel discussions around the world including

the World Economic Forum on Africa.

P R O F E S S O R B A V E S H K A N A

s Head of the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence of Biomedical TB Research at Wits

University, Professor Bavesh Kanas research work on TB has seen him working

in the elds of research and academia both here and overseas. Aer obtaining his

PhD in Mycobacteriology from Wits, he went on to work at the Public Health Research

Instute in New Jersey and also spent me at Harvard Medical School. Today, he passes

on this wealth of knowledge to the post-graduate students he lectures and mentors.

A mul-award winner in the eld of science, Professor Kanas medical background is

invaluable to the judging of these Awards.


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Discovery Journ Winners 2014