AS WE mark the World Aids Day on December 1, this week, UNAIDS in their latest Aids Epidemic Update 2005, indicate Pakistan to be on the ‘brink of Aids epidemic’ and urges to speed up the response, ‘to avoid a serious HIV epidemic’.
In Pakistan the day will be observed by civil society, organizations working for people living with HIV and Aids, Ministry of Health, National Aids Control Programme (NACP) and UN agencies. Media will cover national and international seminars, conferences on the subject or high profile visits of celebrities on the day. The coverage may spill over to the second week of December but that will be all. Whether on print or electronic media, HIV and Aids comes in limelight only around the month of December such as World Aids Day. A few reports seen in the print to find space in print once in a while, but editorial interaction remains low and often stories are not prioritized.
On the other hand, the other occasions when HIV and Aids do get media attention is the news of any newly found cases leaked to the media. These are mostly scoops which tend to stigmatize People Living With HIV and Aids (PLWHA). Stories are mostly based on misinformation, misconceptions on HIV and Aids, sensationalism and sometimes unethical reporting.
Socio-cultural norms, religious beliefs and sensitivities/ taboo attached to HIV and Aids do not make writing on HIV and Aids easy. Fear, ignorance, prejudice, denial and political considerations all play a part in how individuals view HIV and Aids. Moreover, invisibility of the virus, (not being able to interact with HIV positive people) and to talk about sex in an appropriate way, especially in the national language, provide a major obstacle for the media to open up to the subject.
To realize the importance of the role that media can play in combating HIV and Aids, journalists need to understand the relevant medical, economic, political and international factors. Ethical dilemmas such as balancing what is in the public interest with the interests of the individual need to be resolved by journalists and the media profession as a whole.
It is time journalists begin to discuss their role in national HIV and Aids prevention strategy and develop an overall involvement in the struggle. There is a need for open communication on HIV and interpersonal relationships and coverage of the issue from different perspectives, moving from health emphasis to broader understanding of economic, social, gender, human rights, etc.
The need to create a national platform for healthcare reporting by engaging and training media professionals to promote the development of leaders and experts dedicated to reporting on HIV and Aids and other healthcare matters cannot be ignored. For if the media is misinformed it can lead to irresponsible or inaccurate reporting, contributing to the atmosphere of denial which only serves to fuel the epidemic.
ETHICAL LANGUAGE
Most of the information about HIV in Pakistan is associated with “immoral” behaviour, such as drug use and sex work. As the epidemic takes root in these high risk populations, the face of HIV positive persons is automatically associated with the stigma of immoral behaviour, irrespective of how they were infected.
Language has a particular impact in relation to HIV and Aids as personal attitudes and perceptions perpetuate stigma and discrimination towards persons living with HIV and Aids. An initiative has been taken by National Aids Control Programme, UNAIDS and UNICEF Pakistan for the use of ‘ethical and non-discriminatory language’ that respects and empowers people living with HIV and Aids for which a guide for using HIV related language and appropriate terms has been developed.
“Language should be inclusive and should not create or reinforce ‘them/us’ mentality. Misuse of terminology can create cultures of fear, ignorance and even violence that can take a long time to change,” says Bettina Schunter, Project Officer for HIV and Aids, Unicef, Pakistan. Commented as it is to potent taboo as sex and death, HIV often inspires fear. There has been a tendency to think of the epidemic as a scourge, plague and a punishment, and to find groups to blame for it.
Bettina believes derogatory terms such as “morally corrupt”, “victim” or “sufferer” used for people living with HIV and Aids should be avoided, as they alienate rather than create the trust and respect required. “People living with HIV” or “people living with Aids” are preferred as “it recognizes that an infected person may continue to live well and productively for many years.”
Appropriate use of language respects the dignity and rights of all concerned, avoids contributing to the stigmatization and rejection of the affected and assists in creating the social changes required to overcome the epidemic. Mounting an effective global response to Aids is clearly an expensive challenge for the media and insufficient efforts have been invested in this to date. But the task is not as difficult and daunting as it might appear.
AS WE mark the World Aids Day on December 1, this week, UNAIDS in their latest Aids Epidemic Update 2005, indicate Pakistan to be on the ‘brink of Aids epidemic’ and urges to speed up the response, ‘to avoid a serious HIV epidemic’.
