Media Watch
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Get with the programme
An article in the Daily Sun covering a school which allows teen moms to breastfeed during school time, misses out on the chance to help make the government’s new and controversial breastfeeding-only policy workable.
Last year August saw a scramble of media activity with thousands of ‘punny’ boob-based headlines sprinkled throughout the papers.
The occasion? Aaron Motsoaledi’s announcement that government would institute a breastfeeding-only policy; discontinuing the distribution of free formula to HIV-positive moms via public healthcare facilities.
The move has proved to be controversial, with various experts lamenting that if not paired properly with antiretroviral treatment, a breastfeeding-only strategy could in fact reverse the dramatic drop in mother to child transmission of HIV.
However a Daily Sun article on breastfeeding moms at an East London school, which appeared in Wednesday’s (9 May 2012) Daily Sun, seems oblivious to all this hullabaloo.
ANALYSIS: Daily Sun coverage undermines serious issue of ARV shortages
The Daily Sun undermines the issue of ARV drug shortages by presenting purely anecdotal evidence.
The page 5 article in Wednesday’s (2 May 2012) Daily Sun features multiple accounts from people claiming that clinics often run short of life-saving ARVs, which means that patients could default and potentially develop drug resistance.
However these claims remain confined to the realm of the anecdotal because the journalist did not bother to corroborate the complaints by investigating whether or not clinics are indeed running low on drugs.
IN THE NEWS: HIV campaign kicks off at university
"You could be the cause of someone's death so get yourself tested for HIV." This was the urgent message from Tender Mavundla (30), an HIV-positive ambassador for the First Things First HIV counselling and testing campaign.IN THE NEWS: Children warned about strangers
Little Isaac Ramugondo disappeared without a trace... He was only four years old when he went missing in 2010. This happens everywhere in Mzansi and many of the kids are never found again.IN THE NEWS: Fewer newborns getting HIV now
The HIV-infection rate among newborn babies tested in Gauteng has fallen by more than half. Provincial officials said at the weekend this was achieved by getting pregnant women to attend classes so complications could be spotted early and treated.IN THE NEWS: Paper test could save lives!
Chemists in the USA have developed a sensor that may be able to test for diseases such as malaria and HIV - for less than R1 a time. And the sensor is made of folded paper! Richard Crooks, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Texas said: "Anybody can fold them up. An NGO with some volunteers can do itIN THE NEWS: Gays and lesbians, speak up!
More than 100 gay men and women demanded respect for their human rights from their communities over the weekend. This happened after they were invited to speak about Aids at an awareness event.IN THE NEWS: Grants cut as health improves!
HIV-Positive people have to eat healthily. But many cannot afford to do this because they are unemployed.IN THE NEWS: Raped while looking for help!
The Schoolgirl's family took her to hospital because she became very depressed after testing positive for HIV. But instead of getting better in the psychiatric ward, she was raped in December! And a young male nurse is allegedly the evil culprit.IN THE NEWS: Extreme TB cases cured by hospital
The extreme drug resistant (XDR)TB unit in Klerksdorp-Tshepong Hospital has made a TB treatment breakthrough after three patients with advanced TB were successfully treated at the centre.Page 1 of 4 pages 1 2 3 > Last »
