Pan African Visions Journalists Win Merck Foundation Awards for Outstanding Health and Social Reporting

By Ngunyi Sonita Nwohtazie

BUEA, Cameroon – Three journalists from the internationally acclaimed Pan African Visions media house have been recognized for excellence in reporting on critical health and social issues. The trio were among 125 journalists from 36 countries (Africa, Asia, and the Americas) celebrated under the 2024 Merck Foundation’s “More Than a Mother” and “Diabetes & Hypertension” media recognition awards.

The winners were announced during a virtual awards ceremony held on April 10, 2025, and presided over by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation and President of the “More Than a Mother” campaign. The awards, conducted in partnership with First Ladies across several African countries, aim to encourage impactful journalism that addresses health and gender-related issues.

Cameroon’s Boris Esono Nwenfor, the country's Bureau Chief for Pan African Visions (PAV), secured third place in the online category of the “More Than a Mother 2024” awards for French-speaking African countries. His award-winning entry, titled “No Excuse! VAWG Goes against Fundamental Rights of Human Beings” spotlighted the work of CHRDA and the scourge of violence against women and girls (VAWG). This marks Boris’ second win from the Merck Foundation following his recognition in 2021 for the “Stay-at-Home Media Recognition Award.”

From Zimbabwe, Wallace Mawire took second place in the Southern Africa category for “More Than a Mother” while his compatriot and fellow PAV reporter Prince Kurupati clinched third place in the “Diabetes & Hypertension 2024” awards. Prince’s work highlighted the importance of lifestyle modification campaigns in the fight against non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

The More Than a Mother awards aim to raise awareness on breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl-child education, women empowerment, and ending gender-based violence (GBV), child marriage, and female genital mutilation (FGM). The Diabetes & Hypertension Awards focus on promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging early detection and prevention of these conditions across Africa.

As part of their recognition, Esono, Mawire, and Kurupati were inducted into the prestigious Merck Foundation Alumni community – a global network of journalists dedicated to using their platforms to drive health advocacy and positive change.

Speaking after the announcement, Boris Esono said the recognition was both humbling and motivating. He said: "Being part of the Merck Foundation Alumni community has been an incredible opportunity," he noted. "It's inspiring to connect with so many talented journalists focused on health and community issues. It's encouraged me to take a more global perspective and approach my work more purposefully."

Managing Editor of Pan African Visions, Ajong Mbapndah L, expressed pride in the accomplishments of his team. “We’re extremely proud of the well-deserved recognition our reporters have earned,” he said. “These awards reflect the level of professionalism, commitment, and impact that PAV strives to deliver across the continent. We applaud the outstanding work of the Merck Foundation and Dr. Rasha Kelej in promoting health, gender equity, and social justice through journalism.”

This isn’t the first time PAV journalists have shone on the international stage. In 2021, PAV’s Sierra Leonean reporter Ishmael Koroma secured third place in the “Mask Up with Care” campaign while PAV’s Zimbabwe’s Nevson Mpofu came in second. That same year, both Koroma and Esono were also recognized under the “Stay-at-Home” awards, underscoring PAV’s consistent track record in spotlighting crucial health and development issues across Africa.

Pan African Visions, which publishes a monthly magazine and runs the news portal www.panafricanvisions.com, continues to stand out as a media house committed to high-impact journalism that drives awareness and change across the continent.

About Merck Foundation

The Merck Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA, Germany that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Its efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality and equitable healthcare solutions, building healthcare, scientific research and media capacity and empowering people in STEM with a special focus on women and youth in under-served communities.

The foundation strives to work closely with partners that are African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Education, Information and Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art in building healthcare capacity and addressing health, social and economic challenges in developing countries and under-served communities.