The Reconciliation and Development Association (RADA) has reaffirmed its leadership in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by sponsoring and presenting the RADA Prize for NCDs Reporting at the North West Media Forum organized by the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ), Bamenda Chapter.
The forum, held at the Banquet Hall of the Admiralty Hotel in Upstation, Bamenda, brought together journalists, public officials, and civil society actors to reflect on the role of the media in promoting development and public health. The event was attended by the North West Governor, the Regional Delegate of Communication, the personal representative of the Minister of Communication, the Mayor of Bamenda II Council, representative of the Minister Delegate in charge of Relations with the Commonwealth.
Speaking during the award presentation, Ferdinant Mbiydzenyuy Sonyuy, President and CEO of RADA, emphasized the urgent need for increased media attention on non-communicable diseases, which he described as a growing but often overlooked public health crisis in Cameroon.
“At RADA, we consider ourselves a community of experts who identify problems, propose solutions, and work with partners to implement them,” Sonyuy said. “One of our critical focus areas is non-communicable diseases, which currently account for about 43 percent of annual deaths in Cameroon and the numbers are rising.”
Sonyuy explained that while communicable diseases such as malaria and HIV have historically dominated public health reporting, lifestyle-related risk factors, including physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and mental health disorders, are increasingly driving mortality rates. “You can sweep your floors clean so you don’t die from bacteria,” he noted, “but if you don’t exercise on that same floor, you may die from diseases linked to a sedentary lifestyle.”
RADA currently hosts the Secretariat of the Cameroon Non-Communicable Disease Alliance, a network of 16 organizations nationwide, as well as the Africa NCDs Network, which spans 23 countries. Since 2017, the organization has evolved into a hub of technical expertise on NCDs in Cameroon and across Africa, advocating for prevention, policy change, and informed public discourse. It was against this backdrop that RADA partnered with CAMASEJ to recognize journalists who have responded to the call for more robust reporting on NCDs.
Unveiling the winners, Sah Terence Animbom, President of the CAMASEJ Bamenda Chapter, praised the quality and impact of the submitted reports, noting that they demonstrated journalism’s power to shape public understanding and influence healthier behaviours.
Winners of the RADA Prize for NCDs Reporting
Ngwe Jeffery Yufenyu — 85.2, “From Prevention Strategies to Combating High Mortality Rate”, Liboh Etienne Nfor — 82%
“How Cameroonians Are Dying From Unhealthy Diet”, Tasi Peter — 80.8%
“Silent but Deadly – How Communities in Bamenda Are Fighting the Battle Against Non-Communicable Diseases”. While special mentions included Bakah Derick — 80.5%, “BBH Reports Over 1,000 NCD Patients Enrolled” and Mboh Promise — 79.7%, “From Juicing to Advocacy”.
Sonyuy congratulated the winners and thanked CAMASEJ and regional authorities for supporting the initiative, particularly the North West Governor for attending the ceremony in person. “We can report about malaria and HIV, and we must continue to do so,” he concluded. “But we also need to shine a light on non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. The media has a crucial role to play in saving lives.”
The North West Media Forum once again highlighted journalism’s central place in development, with the RADA Prize underscoring the growing importance of health reporting that goes beyond traditional narratives to address emerging realities facing Cameroonian communities.
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