Media-ted Virus Debate: When An African President Questioned Cause of AIDS
Book Details
Author(s)Jacob Jiel Akol
PublisherJacob Jiel Akol
ISBN / ASINB01C0QN4CW
ISBN-13978B01C0QN4C5
Sales Rank99,999,999
MarketplaceUnited States 🇺🇸
Description
By the mid 1990s, Western media interest in HIV/AIDS activities had waned because forecasts of a high rise in HIV infections and AIDS deaths in the wealthier parts of the world did not materialise. Prevention programmes were successful while drug treatment was delaying the on-set of AIDS.
Africa was different. HIV infections were rising rapidly and evenly among the sexes. AIDS deaths were also increasing while African leadership appeared to be in denial of the disease. Ignorance about the disease prevailed while any government prevention programmes were poorly financed and organised. Still the media paid scant attention to what was clearly an epidemic by the turn of the century.
UNAIDS planned to hold the 13th International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, in 2000, hoping to attract the attention of the wealthier world. It got more media coverage than it bargained for: An old debate among scientist turned political when the host-country's president unexpectedly intervened in apparent support of dissident scientists' views; controversy followed and the media poured in. Controversial issues on HIV/AIDS made headlines and kept African AIDS in the news throughout 2000. How did the media conduct itself in such debates - which at times had racial undertones - and with what likely effect on the HIV/AIDS programme in Africa?
Africa was different. HIV infections were rising rapidly and evenly among the sexes. AIDS deaths were also increasing while African leadership appeared to be in denial of the disease. Ignorance about the disease prevailed while any government prevention programmes were poorly financed and organised. Still the media paid scant attention to what was clearly an epidemic by the turn of the century.
UNAIDS planned to hold the 13th International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, in 2000, hoping to attract the attention of the wealthier world. It got more media coverage than it bargained for: An old debate among scientist turned political when the host-country's president unexpectedly intervened in apparent support of dissident scientists' views; controversy followed and the media poured in. Controversial issues on HIV/AIDS made headlines and kept African AIDS in the news throughout 2000. How did the media conduct itself in such debates - which at times had racial undertones - and with what likely effect on the HIV/AIDS programme in Africa?
