26 October 2011 - Lille, France -- The Stop TB Partnership today announced the winners of the Award for Excellence in Reporting on TB and Images to Stop TB Award.
The journalism award recognizes outstanding reporting and commentary in print and on the web that materially increases the public's knowledge and understanding of TB and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), in countries affected by the disease. The Partnership confers first, second and third prizes in two categories: for journalists based in low- and middle-income countries and those based in high-income countries*.
The Images to Stop TB Award seeks to raise awareness about TB through the powerful medium of photography. Every year the award provides one talented photographer with the support needed to generate outstanding photographs and photo stories depicting the impact of TB on individuals and communities and successful responses to the disease. Photojournalist Gary Knight serves as Chair of the award's Advisory Board.
Both awards are supported by the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership.
First prize (US$ 3000): Bharathi Ghanashyam of India. Her blog, "Children and TB - the diagnostic challenges" tells the moving stories of three children affected by TB while highlighting the challenge of diagnosing the disease in this age group in India, where the problem is rampant.
Second prize (US$ 2000): David Dizon of the Philippines. His article "Stigma still a hindrance in TB prevention", published on ABS-CBN News Online, draws on the personal experience of having his baby become ill with TB to focus attention on fearful attitudes in Manila about seeking diagnosis when TB symptoms appear.
Third prize (US$ 1000): Evelyn Lirri of Uganda. "Tuberculosis is curable but is still a silent killer in Uganda", published in the Saturday Monitor, challenges her country to do more to tackle its TB and TB/HIV epidemics.
First prize (US$ 3000): Michael Specter of the United States. His feature in the New Yorker, "A Deadly Misdiagnosis", warns of the dangers of TB misdiagnosis in India, which has the highest rate of TB in the world and also points to recently developed molecular tests as offering hope.
Second prize (US$ 2000): Ray Suarez of the United States. His blog on the PBS News Hour web site, "South Africa Still Struggling with Deadly TB-HIV Epidemic", reports on how South Africa is striving to meet the challenge of its TB/HIV and MDR-TB epidemics.
Third prize (US$ 1000): Jason Overdorf of the United States. His article, "India: As the middle class rises, so does tuberculosis", published in the Global Post, overturns misconceptions that TB affects only the poor, but instead is striking a growing number of affluent people in India.
The 2011 winner is the Mexican photographer Carlos Cazalis. Mr Cazalis' portfolio, which chronicles the health challenges faced by the people of Haiti, was selected by an international jury from among 50 entries. He will receive a grant of $5000 to produce a photo essay on TB and $5000 in prize money.
*World Bank criteria: World Bank Country Classification