Ghana will host the 2026 REMAPSEN Media Forum and Awards in Accra in November, following major recognition for the country and its National Coordinator Emefa Ewoenam Atiamoah-Eli.

This came up at the 2025 REMAPSEN Media Forum and Awards for the Promotion of Health and Environment, held in Cotonou, Benin, from January 28 to 30, 2026.

The awards ceremony coincided with the commemoration of World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day, marked on Friday, January 30, 2026, which also served as the central theme of this year’s REMAPSEN Media Forum.

At the closing ceremony, Ghana was adjudged the “Most Committed Country in REMAPSEN 2025”, receiving the Michel Sidibé Prize.  

Led by JoyNews Editor at the Multimedia Group, who is also the Country Coordinator for REMAPSEN Ghana, Emefa Ama Ewoenam Atiamoah was also named Best Journalist in Health Reporting – Radio Category among her peers from the region.

Nine other journalists from different African countries were also honoured for excellence in reporting on health and environmental issues.

President of the African Media Network for the Promotion of Health and Environment (REMAPSEN), Bamba Youssouf, said aligning the forum and awards with World NTD Day was intentional.

“Neglected tropical diseases continue to affect millions across Africa, yet they receive limited media attention. This forum places journalists at the centre of advocacy to change that reality,” he said. 

He also noted that “The award is not a competition, rather, it is to encourage and celebrate the African journalist for his/her efforts in promoting public health”.

Mr. Youssouf announced Ghana as the host of the next edition, with Benin handing over the baton to the Ghanaian delegation.

“Ghana has demonstrated leadership, consistency and commitment to REMAPSEN’s mission. Hosting the 2026 Media Forum and Awards in Accra is a recognition of that commitment,” he said.

The Michel Sidibé Prize, awarded to Ghana, recognises countries that demonstrate sustained engagement, institutional support and active participation in REMAPSEN’s advocacy work across health and environmental sectors.

African Union Special Envoy for the African Medicines Agency and Former Executive Director of UNAIDS and global health advocate, Dr. Michel Sidibé, underscored the role of journalism in strengthening public health systems.

“There is no effective public health response without credible journalism. Journalists are essential partners in combating misinformation, demanding accountability and ensuring that no community is left behind,” he said.

Receiving the Best Journalist in Health Reportingaward, Emefa Ewoenam Atiamoah-Eli of JoyNews, who also serves as West and Central Africa Regional Coordinator (MNCH) for REMAPSEN, described the recognition as a call to remain true to the social contract of journalism in health and environmental reporting. 

“This award reinforces the responsibility to tell health stories that are centred on people and capable of influencing policy and behaviour,” she said.

She added that JoyNews and The Multimedia Group Limited remain committed to sustained reporting on health and environmental issues, particularly those affecting vulnerable communities.

The two-day forum featured high-level discussions on the role of African media in NTD advocacy, resource mobilisation for health reporting, climate–health linkages, cross-border collaboration, and strategies for sustaining public interest in neglected health and environmental issues.

Participants examined how journalists can translate complex scientific and policy information into compelling, accurate stories that drive community action and influence decision-making.

Development partners, civil society organisations and public health institutions participated in the forum and supported the event through sponsorship and technical engagement, underscoring the importance of strong media–development partnerships.

Among those that supported and participated in this year’s Forum and Awards were the Gates Foundation, Speak Up Africa, the World Health Organisation (Benin Office), the Raoul Follereau Foundation and Galien Africa, among several others.

REMAPSEN, a French acronym which stands for the African Media Network for the Promotion of Health and Environment, is a pan-African network of journalists established to strengthen media capacity, promote reporting and advance advocacy on health and environmental issues across the continent.

Since its establishment at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, REMAPSEN has worked across multiple African countries to build journalists’ skills, push for cross-border collaboration and use media advocacy to support public health, environmental protection and sustainable development goals.

The 2025 awards mark the fourth edition of the REMAPSEN Media Forum and Awards, which have been hosted in four different African countries, reflecting the network’s commitment to regional inclusion and shared learning.

With Ghana set to host the 2026 REMAPSEN Media Forum and Awards, organisers say the Accra edition will further strengthen Africa-led conversations on Reproductive Health and Family Planning, climate resilience and health communication.

The Forum is expected to deepen collaboration among journalists and partners across the continent.

“Accra 2026 will be an opportunity to consolidate partnerships and elevate African voices on health and the environment,” Mr Youssouf said.

Here is the list of winners of the 2025 REMAPSEN Awards, including the Michel Sidibé Prizes

ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALIST AWARDS

1st Prize Radio: Aguibou Coulibaly (ORTB Mali)

1st Prize Television: Caroline Wété (CRTV), Cameroon

1st Prize Print Media: Ngoya Ndiaye (Rewmi Quotidien,) Senegal

1st Prize Online Media: Michael Moukouangui (Lettre verte), Gabon

HEALTH JOURNALIST AWARDS

1st Prize Radio: Emefa Atiamoah (The Multimedia Group), Ghana

1st Prize Television: Régis Talikpéti (E47 TV) Togo

1st Prize Print Media: Kadijah Aliyu (Federal Corporation,) Nigeria

1st Prize Online Media: Aboubacar Touré (Planet.224) Guinea

AWARDS FOR BEST NATIONAL COORDINATIONS

1st Prize: Benin

2nd Prize: Ivory Coast

3rd Prize: Cameroon

4th Prize: Ghana

5th Prize: Togo