WDF – Receives International Accolades !!

More than 1,100 guests from the Healthcare and communications industries convened at the Communiqué Award show, 2008 in London.

Organised by PMGroup, publisher of the leading industry magazines Pharmaceutical Marketing, Pharmaceutical Marketing Europe and Communiqué, these Awards are a highlight in the industry calendar and entries were at a record level this year. The campaigns submitted for each Award category face a rigorous selection process, with the judging panel made up of the industry’s most respected communication experts. The importance of recognizing the individuals and communication teams who have produced outstanding campaigns is seen as invaluable to encourage internal motivation, external prestige and to share developments in best practice.

The World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) and the assigned agency Biosector 2 was announced winners of the Communiqué Award in the category; Best International Media Relations campaign in connection with the Diabetes Press Summit in Africa, 2007. A highly prestigious award in a competitive category.

Announcing the winner in the category, Best International Media Relations campaign, one of the judges on the residing jury said, “Two outstanding joint winners in a highly competitive category. These are campaigns that many of the judges would have been extremely proud to have run themselves.”

The BioSector 2 Team receiving the award on behalf of WDF.

“The media has such a valuable role to play in raising the profile of unmet medical needs and it has been wonderful to see such global media interest in the WDF Press Summits and field visits. The award is a testament not only to the efforts of B2 and the WDF, but also to all the stakeholders working with WDF at multiple levels that provide such outstanding commitment to improving lives touched by diabetes in the developing world. Biosector 2 are truly honoured to have had the pleasure of providing communications support to the WDF for the past four years, being part of such worthy and significant work,” says Ms.Priya Banerjee on behalf of the Biosector 2 team.

Creating international headlines

It has been estimated that the media coverage of the Diabetes Press Summit Africa, 2007 reached well over 70 million people, providing much-needed information and focus on this often neglected problem. With 35 media participants attending the event, representing 14 African and European countries, and 25 news outlets, raising public awareness was one of the summit’s key purposes. Media coverage included newspaper articles, radio interviews, television coverage and podcasts. Attending the event and seeing a project in action at the grass roots level, journalists were not only better informed about the growing burden of diabetes, but also could not fail to be moved by and understand the impact of this disease in Kenya and other developing countries.

Several articles, TV and radio broadcasts featuring diabetes appeared in the local and international media following the summit, thus helping raise awareness of the problem. Prior to the Summit, the Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre (DMI) showcased their programme, which is supported by the WDF, to demonstrate how effective collaboration can work at a practical level.

“The developing nations account for seven of the ten countries worst affected by diabetes. Yet governments, policy makers, public health authorities and multilateral donors are either unwilling to accept or are ignorant of the threat of diabetes. Developing media relations and through them sending out our key messages during the Diabetes Press Summit in Africa was an important milestone in our efforts to bring public attention to the rising problem of diabetes and spread the message of prevention at a regional level. At the WDF Secretariat we are truly hounered to recieve this pristigios award on behalf of our project partners, project beneficiaries, sponsors and our agency who all played an important role in the entire setup”, elaborates Mr. Jamal Butt, Communications Manager of the WDF.

Read more about the Diabetes Press Summit, Africa