GABRIEL MADIYE,
CEO, THE SHEPHERD’S HOSPICE
There has never been a time in human history when the use of correct information has been so important as today’s world. Our world is driven by communication that transmits correct information to inform decision at individual, family and corporate levels. Without this correctness, decisions arising from the information may be faulty or misrepresenting. This is when the people describe the news as fake, distorted, incorrect or made to mislead the audience, readers or consumers. Communication has ever been a profession either in the mainstream media , traditional folklore, gossip, and now the social media which is largely unregulated, prolific and intrusive. All these forms of media are part of the envelop of human communication history that informs , entertain or educate. They have either set the agenda for public discourse or attempted to mould public opinion and attitudes to a desired outcome. For the purpose of this piece, communication is understood as the medium through which information is transmitted from one person to another by writing, speaking or other forms. When we communicate we are either giving or receivng information.
In the process of communication, there must be an objective to achieve guided by the ethical standards of ; objectivity , impartiality and public good . Because of the individual preference and the unregulated and widespread use of social media to communicate ideas or opinions , false news has become the misnomer for correct and authentic news item . A politician can dismiss an allegation against him as fake news even though the reporter has his fact full. And news reporters have distorted information to present as facts. . Sadly , fake news has inflated its coverage from politics to the fight against the global pandemic of Covid-19. This is a case worth discussing to help our readers understand fake news and how to clarify news that is doubtful. In the Covid-19 Pandemic, the global health community recognize some actors as centres of excellence.
By this token , it is implied that we must trust and use the information put forward about Covid-19 by these authorities believing its correctness. They are the World Health Organisation (WHO), Johns Hopkins University, Center for Dsease Control (CDC) and the National Covid-19 Response Teams that are set up by the different sovereign states or countries. These authorities have given out trusted information to the public based upon imperical evidence through organized and reliable systems with checks and balances. Where a news item breaks from other sources, we must endeavour to present this item to such authorities for verification as authentic, factual and reliable. Your national Covid-19 Response Centre (for Sierra Leone its NACOVERC or DACOVERC for your district) must always be reached for fact checking about any news breaking about Covid-19. Fake news and Covid-19 are dual pandemics of competing propensities; hurting every community in the world.
Fake news is infectious and lethal depending upon the consumer and the dose . For example , in my practice in public health, I have met a Sierra Leonean medical doctor who lived and worked in Switzerland but returned home because of ill health. His symptoms were progressive loss of weight, oesophageal candidiasis, Plumonary Tuberculosis and recurrent diarrhoea among others. He visited the Shepherds Hospice where we did some tests that pointed to a chronic illness that we could have managed over time. On starting treatment, the patient was responding favourably until when a fake news broke from one of the relatives that a faith healing pastor was treating such patients to cure in Calabatown, east of Freetown. The patient who had lost his independence now had to submit to the fake news by opting to visit the pastor for faith healing. All counselling to make the family members understand the news as fake and inimical to the patient’s interest was disregarded . Against medical advise, the patient was discharged. Two weeks later, one of the relatives called the hospice to inform how the patient was stopped from using the ARVs, and Anti-Tuberculosis medicines, made to fast by abstaining from water and normal foods. He further explained that the patient was deprived of normal hours of sleep to allow time for praying at night. He concluded by disclosing that Dr. Sellu ( not actual name) was now unconscious requiring medical attention. Sad as this outcome could be , the family accepted death as the outcome of fake news . Many mourners who learnt of this news piece that claimed healing for HIV and AIDS by the pastor in Calabatown were angry and judgemental of the pastor. But is the claim really true that AIDS is cured through prayers? Such claims are dangerously hurting families, without any attempt to verify correctness with the competent Authorities.
In conclusion, please be advised that for any news item breaking about health care and disease or its cure , families must verify their information with the Competent Authority in health. The world is gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic ; with considerable levels of denial. This shock could be one of the reasons for the knee-jerk reactions where some sections of our society bring forward fake news explanations : ‘Illnesses attributed to Covid-19 are actually caused by 5G Network’. This news item is fake and hurting human lives with increased violence against communication companies. In Sierra Leone however, the recent violence in Lunsar town, was partly attributed to fake news about 5G.
Let us be responsible with the news we consume; by fact checking to save our lives and that of our loved ones.
