In the early 2000’s, HIV/AIDS reporting focused on calming stigma, fear and ignorance. Today the challenge is more of balancing the science of epidemiology, research, treatment, prevention and social factors affecting those living with HIV/AIDS.
This is according to Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism editor-in-chief, Mia Malan.
“When I was a young journalist, in the late 90s and early 2000s, when I started to report on HIV/AIDS, that's when President Thabo Mbeki spread misinformation about HIV/AIDS, it was a situation where the media had to consistently correct denialism,” she said.
“Today what is more challenging is to keep up with the complex science of ARVs, and how for example, policy affects people living with HIV/AIDS,” added Malan.
World AIDS Day commemorated on December 1 is regarded as a time to raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic and for journalists, it is an opportunity to share accurate and fact-based stories with their audience.
Since being identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS-related illnesses, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.
Spotlight editor Marcus Low believes while following the science is important, health journalists ought to go beyond the latest infection statistics and focus on the ‘lived realities’ of affected people's lives.
“The challenge for journalists is to write about [HIV/AIDS] in a way that feels real and fresh. People too easily say there's AIDS fatigue and people don't want to read about it anymore,” he said.
“HIV is a reality, it affects 8 million lives in South Africa -those lives, their experience - that is what should motivate reporters to write compelling journalism,” the South African editor added.
An estimated 25.8 million people in Africa are living with HIV. The lives of many in Africa are characterised by poverty, hunger, poor health and low literacy, which are factors that have contributed to the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Namibian health journalist Tuyeimo Haidula said that journalists are playing a vital role in educating the public on HIV/AIDS and it is imperative that this work continues.
“Health reporters should adopt deliberate multipronged policies in reporting to combat the scourge. They should engage in aggressive messaging and creation of community awareness about the dangers of HIV infections,” she said.
In an era where information is readily available on the internet, Malan said people now need accurate information that is meaningful in how it breaks down science, simplifying it in ways that meaningfully contextualise issues such as policy.
“People don't want accurate information, but want meaningful information that is accurate. Your job is to make sure you understand it and then break it down and interpret it in a way that is meaningful for your audience,” she said.
The trick is to not only break down the science but to make the consumer of that information realise how their lives are impacted as a result,” she added.
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