Distory Communications Wins Top Award at Regional AMR Champion Media Awards
The Kenyan media house is recognized for its work in demystifying and amplifying anti-microbial resistance around the continent.
HARARE, ZIMBABWE -Distory Communications has been awarded the top prize at the inaugural Regional AMR Champion Media Awards, held in Harare, Zimbabwe on November 21, 2023.
The awards, sponsored by the World Health Organization and the African Union, recognize outstanding work by media organizations and individual journalists in demystifying and raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across the continent, with the goal of promoting positive policy change.
Distory Communications, a bespoke media and communications company based in Nairobi, Kenya, with offices in Kigali, Rwanda, emerged as the top media organization from a pool of 53 entries received from across Africa.
Their moving piece, titled "The Silent Pandemic," was recognized for its storytelling and its ability to humanize the AMR pandemic in Africa.
The film, produced in partnership with Kenya's Ministry of Health and the University of Edinburgh, was also commended for its ability to break down and highlight complex policy issues that are hindering the fight against AMR, as well as offering potential solutions and highlighting key successful interventions in East Africa.
"The recognition of our documentary, 'The Silent Pandemic,' by the World Health Organization demonstrates the importance of storytelling in our complex world," said Distory Communications Managing Partner Hussein Mohammed to reporters on the sidelines of the awards ceremony.
"Everything difficult can be broken down into a language that resonates with everyone. Broken down into small pieces of information that appeal to the hearts and minds of audiences without losing the significance of the message," he explained.
He stated that the company will continue to use storytelling to improve people's lives and expressed his belief that the film will influence policy discussions around antimicrobial resistance in Africa.
"Eventually, the suffering, loss, and damage to individuals, families, and nations caused by the improper use of antibiotics will be halted, but only if we all work together, play our part, and end AMR. It can and will be done," Mohammed concluded.
The Regional AMR Champion Media Awards are a testament to the power of storytelling to raise awareness about critical health issues and promote positive change.
Distory Communications' work on AMR is an example of how media organizations can play a vital role in shaping public discourse and influencing policy decisions.