National Health Journalism Awards highlight Mexico's health challenges

The third National Health Journalism Award 2026 has celebrated outstanding journalistic work that addresses critical physical and mental health issues across Mexico. The awards ceremony, a joint initiative by Opinión 51 and Merck in collaboration with a distinguished jury including TV UNAM, El Economista, EL UNIVERSAL, and Síntesis TV, recognized journalists for their impactful reporting.

The primary objective of the award is to honor journalistic efforts that inform the public, raise awareness, and foster a deeper understanding of health topics affecting millions of people in Mexico. This year's submissions particularly focused on the significant challenges, progress, and problems within the health sector over the past two years.

Among the notable winners was Inés Gutiérrez Jaber for her piece "Durante décadas ignoramos la menstruación; ahora sabemos que cambia el cerebro" (For decades we ignored menstruation; now we know it changes the brain), published in TecScience. An honorable mention in this category went to Claudia Patricia Villalobos Monroy for her report "Sustitutos de piel para tratamiento de pie diabético y quemaduras" (Skin substitutes for the treatment of diabetic foot and burns), featured by the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN).

Andrés A. Solís Álvarez received recognition for "Seguridad bajo estrés. Policías, militares y atención psicológica" (Security under stress. Police, military, and psychological care), broadcast by Meganoticias. Arturo Ramírez Hernández earned an honorable mention for "Así es la realidad de los médicos residentes en México" (This is the reality of resident doctors in Mexico), published in Siete24Mx. The collaborative work "La receta del dragón" (The dragon's recipe), by Aleida Rueda, Luis Fernando Vargas, Camila Segura, Andrés Azpiri, Rémy Lozano, and Ana Turian, published by Radio Ambulante, also received an award, with Maricarmen Climent receiving an honorable mention for the podcast episode "Prohibido embarazarse" (Forbidden to get pregnant).

Organizers noted the exceptional quality of the entries, which led the jury to grant honorable mentions in several categories. This reflects the high standard and impact of the projects presented, underscoring the vital role of journalism in disseminating crucial public health information and strengthening an informed citizenry in Mexico.