Nurse epidemiologist Rhonda Daniels and disc jockey Keevil (The Captain) Burgess were recognised last month for their individual contributions to the field of public health.

For the second year all staff of the public health service have honoured recipients during Public Health Week which is in April.

According to chief medical officer Dr. John Cann, the public health awards were designed to recognise and honour both excellence in public health practice and significant contributions to the public's health.

Nominations for the awards are accepted from all staff of the public health service and recipients are selected by a committee using set criteria.

"The professional award is given annually to a professional working in either health, or the social services for outstanding contribution to the field of public health,'' Dr. Cann said. He added that the criteria for the award include: the nominee must work or have worked as a health care provider, a public health worker, a social worker or a health care administrator.

The nominee must have made a real sustained contribution to the public's health through either health education, health promotion, disease prevention or health protection activities.

"This year the professional award was given to nurse epidemiologist Rhonda Daniels. She was recognised for her work in HIV/AIDS prevention and in particular for her work with he Allan Vincent Smith Foundation peer education programme.

"Rhonda was instrumental in developing this HIV prevention programme and serves as mentor, trainer and driver for the student peer educators involved in the programme.'' Dr. Cann said the second award which was the public health recognition award given in recognition of an individual, a group or an organisation, for extraordinary efforts in the areas of disease prevention and health promotion was presented to local DJ Keevil (The Captain) Burgess.

"He was recognised for his consistent efforts to help promote healthful behaviours both on and off the airways.

"He has consistently participated in health promotion activities and campaigns launched by the department and has played a significant role in raising public awareness relating to smoking and the effects, HIV/AIDS and good nutrition.

"Keevil has been particularly effective in helping our nutritionists to convey their messages to the public in a light hearted but effective manner.'' Ms Daniels told The Royal Gazette this week that she was very shocked to receive the award.

"The peer education programme started in July last year and the aim is to train teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 about HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, and risk reduction behaviour so they can go out and be peer educators in their schools,'' she said. Ms Daniels added: "I am very honoured to have received this award because a lot of the time when you do community work it is not for recognition, you do it because there is a need. To have what you do recognised by your peers makes you feel good. Being given this award in conjunction with my good friend the `captain' makes it even better because a lot of what I have done has been promoted through his morning show.'' She concluded: "Epidemiology is an integral part of public health. It is through epidemiology that a lot of health promotion and programmes are implemented and that is because public health tends to focus on the health of the community versus individual health.'' Radio station Power 95 DJ Mr. Burgess said he too was surprised to get the award.

"It's great to inform the community and that is what I do. I offered the airways to public health promoters and found it interesting and fun to put a different spin on medical issues. Rather than hearing the medical terminology we broke it down and get the message out about health concerns reaching both young and old people,'' Mr. Burgess said. He added: "I have had Rhonda on the show talking about HIV and AIDS, Mellonie Barnum, Government nutritionist Betsy Baillie and other members of the health community. I am usually well booked but I do allow time for health issues because I feel it benefits the community as a whole.

"I was surprised to win the award because what I do, I do without thought of getting awards or recognition. I just do it because it is necessary. The award I received is great and it is special to be recognised by the wonderful health professionals that we have in Bermuda.'' Mr. Burgess also said: "There are a lot of people in this community who do so much and do not get recognition for it.''