Zawaya

Swine flu, scary even if suspected to be a lie

By: Mohamed Yehdih Ould Baba Ahmed

Swine flu is causing uproar in the media these days that’s similar to the media blitz that accompanied the bird flu. Although this media momentum aims to raise people’s awareness about this epidemic, it has also spread fear and panic in the hearts of many. The approach we seek through this modest article is: What is the responsibility of the press during health crises of this kind? And does its coverage contribute to addressing preventive measures to avoid the epidemic?
To answer the aforementioned questions, I personally think that the press bears a huge responsibility, and should focus during this type of health crises on two main pillars:
1- Monitoring the stages of evolution of the epidemic: Journalists should accurately follow all stages of the epidemic’s evolution on the geographical level (that is, in any part of the world), because human lives should be a red line, and should be protected from diseases and epidemics. Although some believe that the media uproar about the current swine flu is only a lie to waste funds that should have been directed to other issues such as: tuberculosis and malaria in Africa; in fact, had it not been for this media uproar raised on all new epidemics and viruses, the human loss would have been bigger.
2- Awareness campaigns about preventive measures. The efforts of journalists should be in two stages:
- Internal awareness: This means within the journalist’s region or country, by discussing the symptoms of the illness or disease, and the methods of prevention or safety, whether by written, visual or audio press institutions; although this alone is not enough, due to the extent of illiteracy particularly in the Arab world, unfortunately.
- External awareness: This requires combined efforts of international legal bodies, including States, and international organizations and individuals, in order to help each country separately and provide them with assistance, especially in our African continent which is developing. Finally, the press has enormous responsibility in times of crisis; particularly those with epidemiological dimensions like swine flu, despite the perspective of some people who are skeptic about it being only a lie to spread panic!