LONDON (AlertNet) - Aid agencies working in Africa have won major U.S. awards focused on tackling health needs in the developing world.

The Nairobi-based African Medical and Research Foundation secured the $1 million 2005 Gates Award "for their extraordinary efforts for nearly 50 years to improve health in Africa's poorest communities”.

British group Riders for Health won the Global Health Council's Best Practices in Global Health Award for its successful and innovative efforts using motorcycle transport to assist disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations.

And at a time of intense conflict in Sudan, the Jonathan Mann Award for Health and Human Rights went to Abdel Mohammad Gerais, founder of the Sudan Fertility Care Association. Gerais was described as "an international symbol of the determination required to provide basic health services for women and girls in a war torn country".

All three prizes were presented at the Global Health Council annual meeting in Washington.

Meanwhile across town, the Interaction alliance of U.S. NGOs gave its Humanitarian Award to Benson Owenga Anjere, founder and executive director of Kenya Programmes for Disabled Persons, for his "extraordinary leadership in support of persons with disabilities".

The InterAction Standards Award went to U.S. medical relief group MAP International for its work in accountability, transparency, monitoring and evaluation within the U.S. Private Voluntary Organisation Standards programme.

At its annual Forum, InterAction also highlighted politicians making contributions to policy and funding for international relief and development. The 2005 InterAction Congressional Service Awards went to Arizona Republican Jim Kolbe and Illinois Democrat Jesse Jackson Jr.

Both GMC and InterAction recognised the media's role in fostering understanding of developing world needs.

The Global Health Excellence in Media Award went to Michael Specter for his report in the New Yorker magazine on the health crisis in Russia.

The InterAction Award for Excellence in International Reporting went to Jason Beaubien, who covers all of sub-Saharan Africa for National Public Radio News.

And for capturing images of disaster and development, the InterAction Effective Assistance Photography Award went to Canadian photojournalist Marko Kokic for his image of a Zambian Red Cross volunteer taking children for measles vaccinations.

The GHC Photography Contest was won posthumously by Carmen Urdaneta, senior communications associate at Management Sciences for Health, who was killed in a plane crash earlier this year while on assignment in Afghanistan. Her work was praised for capturing the humanity and dignity of those in need while giving "a face to the diseases of global health".