Don’t stigmatise Covid-19 patients: Mangwana
THE media has been urged to review the use of language when reporting on Covid-19 to ensure eradication of stigma.
This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana during an online discussion with journalists on the coverage of the disease, that was supported by the United Nations Development Programme.
He said most of the discrimination was being caused by ignorance and fear.
“We need to be very mindful of the language we use,” said Mr Mangwana.
“When we do our messaging as media, I believe we need to continue amplifying the positive message, informative messages ensuring that all the seven normal discrimination categories are attended to, including the age groups, disability, sexuality.”
Mr Mangwana said branding those thought to have been affected by Covid-19 as “suspects” was not proper
“You are being called a suspect just like someone found carrying transformer oil or found carrying a machete with blood,” he said.
“Why is a person who could be a victim of coronavirus called a suspected case. I think it’s a language we need to look at. Stigma is caused by harmful stereotypes.”
Mr Mangwana said journalists could now carry their duties during the Covid-19 lockdown without fear of harassment following the gazetting of a statutory instrument designating the profession as an essential service.
He apologised to some journalists who reported harassment by the security services before the enactment of the statutory instrument.
“We believe information plays a critical role in this fight against the invisible enemy called coronavirus,” said Mr Mangwana.
“Therefore, those that package, disseminate information to the public are critical in as much as their industry is, and those people are journalists.
“And the way that information is packaged is actually very important, but in line with the packaging of information comes the issue of marginalisation and in some instances discrimination and in other instances stigmatisation.”
Mr Mangwana said there were some sections of society like the disabled and a pressure group for journalists who had filed court applications on the packaging of information around Covid-19.
“If somebody takes us to court by saying the Ministry of Information should package information for the disabled, it’s a very tricky position for us because we don’t want to defend that, we believe if there are any shortcomings in what we are doing right now, that should be addressed,” he said.
“We believe we do not hold the patent to good ideas, so if anybody has good ideas they should engage rather than take us to court because what the court will pronounce is simply that, ‘please go and package information for the disabled’”.
Mr Mangwana said that would not be helpful since there would be no input from the disabled on how they want the packaging of information to be done.
He said the opening of the Covid-19 call centre was meant to attend to specific and individual needs from particular citizens because not everyone had access to the tools of communication.
Mr Mangwana said a national disaster like Covid-19 meant the law and the Constitution should be deployed to save lives.
Deputy Director of Disease Control and Epidemiology in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Isaac Phiri participated.