dyton mupawaenda
THIS month there was intense debate on social media following reports that claimed approximately 90 percent of women aged between 16 and 50 plus tested for HIV in Bulawayo during the month of June 2024 tested positive of the virus.
This was despite the fact that nationally, the HIV prevalence for women aged 15-49 is 10.49 percent, and for Bulawayo, it stood at 11.75 percent.
As it later turned out, the data was misinterpreted and does not represent the overall HIV positivity rate among women in Bulawayo, according to official figures.
The report added that there were concerns over a surge in cases in the Matabeleland region following a Bulawayo City Council report that seemingly showed that at least 2 641 women tested positive for HIV from the 2 984 that had undergone testing.
It was a headline story that quickly spread in various forms, triggering intense debate in feedback sections wherever the story was carried.
Those with an appreciation of the subject had their doubts given the national prevalence figures while those into statistics also raise many questions.
There is no doubt that the report caused alarm and despondency. It was unfortunate the Bulawayo City Council took time to respond or just comment on those public forums, especially their own social media platforms.
It took the local authority FIVE days to put the record straight although the expectation would have been for them to respond within 24 hours of the newspaper headlines given the gravity of the matter.
However, it is important that they eventually responded and set the record clear. It was a relief that the newsmen actually failed to report accurately on the statistics provided by Bulawayo City Council and gave a false story.
In addressing the alarming headlines, Bulawayo City Council said the media reports that circulated were a result of statistics being taken out of context adding that the reported figures were misrepresented from a Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIAC) programme, which focuses on cervical cancer screening, primarily targeting women who are already HIV positive.
From the Bulawayo City Council response and previous cases, it is important that media houses employ statisticians to help them accurately report on statistics related topics, especially those with the potential to cause alarm and despondency if wrongly interpreted.
There should be emphasis on double checking any alarming statistics, or interpretation of statistics before publishing as damage from getting it wrong can be devastating and any corrections afterwards will not erase not correct the harm.
Getting it right is important.
Online Reporter