News analysis – Media Watch
Soapie star’s passing should spark debate around HIV treatment
Media should highlight the efficacy of life-saving HIV treatment in the wake of soapie star Lesego Motsepe’s passing.
Lesego Motsepe became a positive role model for countless South Africans when she announced on radio that she was living with HIV on World AIDS Day two years ago. But at the beginning of 2012, Motsepe would make another very public and very controversial announcement reminiscent of the bogus ‘HIV treatment’ advocated by the late Health Minister Manto Tshabala-Msimang; Motsepe was stopping HIV treatment in favour of more natural methods.
Bona misses key component of prenatal testing
An article in this month’s BONA (October 2013) highlighting important prenatal tests pays little attention to crucial information on HIV testing during pregnancy.
The article focuses on the seven most important tests that should be taken during pregnancy to ensure the health of both mother and child.
Untempered report perpetuates outdated idea
An untempered report in the Sowetan (30 September 2013) on the lack of land for graves in KwaZulu-Natal could perpetuate the outdated idea that HIV is a death sentence.
This week an article in the Sowetan reported that KwaZulu-Natal province is rapidly running out of land to use for graves.
Sowetan addresses concerning myth
The Sowetan’s (20 September 2013) article ‘Grannies scramble for condoms’ takes the time to debunk a dangerous myth but disappoints when it comes to addressing another major red flag.
Last week an article in the Sowetan reported that ‘grannies’ have been using government condoms to soothe arthritis-related aches and pains.
Keeping the doctor away from one-pill-day
In not balancing an anecdotal account with expert comment, Drum magazine has provided readers with inaccurate information about HIV treatment that could have negative consequences.
This month Drum magazine (5 September 2013) ran a story on the new “one-pill-a-day” HIV treatment introduced in South Africa earlier this year. The article featured the first-hand experience of HIV-positive activist Andrew Mosane, who is Gauteng secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). The TAC led the fight for access to antiretroviral treatment
