New track under African Union Media Fellowship aims to promote evidence-based storytelling and health security reporting
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA | 23 July 2025 — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the continental public health agency of the African Union, has launched a health journalism fellowship aimed at empowering African journalists to produce compelling, evidence-based public health stories that inform, engage, and drive policy dialogue.
This marks the introduction of a dedicated health journalism track under the prestigious African Union Media Fellowship (AUMF), a flagship initiative that supports media professionals and content creators to tell development-focused stories aligned with African Union priorities, including governance, peace and security, migration, climate action, and digital innovation.
Africa CDC is launching the health journalism track with support from the World Bank, continuing a targeted partnership focused on building media capacity and strengthening Africa’s voice on health security. The fellowship will support five journalists, one from each of Africa CDC’s Regional Coordinating Centres, through a dynamic programme of mentorship, collaborative learning, and field engagement.
“At a time when Africa is navigating multiple health priorities, from rising non-communicable diseases to re-emerging outbreaks and persistent gaps in health workforce financing, we need a new generation of storytellers who can unpack these challenges with depth, accuracy and empathy,” said Margaret Edwin, Director of Communication and Public Information at Africa CDC. “This fellowship fills a critical gap in how public health is reported and understood across African Union Member States and will empower journalists to elevate Africa’s voice in shaping its own health future.”
The inaugural 2025 cohort of fellows will work closely with Africa CDC to explore urgent public health topics, including how lessons learned from COVID-19, mpox, Ebola, Marburg, and other health emergencies are shaping current strategies and preparedness plans.
They will examine the role of Africa CDC and its partnerships in building robust, agile, and inclusive health systems; unpack the state of vaccine development, distribution, and equity across the continent, with a spotlight on local manufacturing and regional supply chains; and explore how digital tools, laboratory networks, and data-driven systems are revolutionising disease detection, response, and public trust.
Over the course of the 16-month fellowship, the selected journalists will be mentored by leading health experts and gain access to exclusive resources to strengthen their reporting and amplify Africa’s health priorities.
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In addition to mentorship and reporting support, the health fellows will join a continental network of media professionals under the broader AU Media Fellowship programme. As part of the third cohort of the AU Media Fellowship, they will benefit from workshops, field visits, editorial guidance, and a learning tour of key global institutions, coordinated with the EU Delegation to the African Union and other partners.
The AU Media Fellowship prioritises high-impact content, alignment with AU objectives, and expanded outreach, ensuring the programme remains sustainable, well anchored, and a powerful driver of storytelling for Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The fellowship is supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the European Union Delegation to the African Union, alongside a broad coalition of African and international media, academic, and policy institutions. Through the health journalism track, Africa CDC is reinforcing the African Union’s commitment to amplify African voices in shaping the continent’s health future.
