Social Media The Harbinger Of Misinformation On HIV/AIDS
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
Social media has revolutionised how we communicate, but its darker side poses a threat to public health. In the fight against HIV/AIDS, platforms meant for information sharing are increasingly becoming breeding grounds for misinformation.
False claims about cures, misleading prevention methods, and stigma-laden narratives spread like wildfire, often overshadowing accurate, science-backed information.
Such posts gain traction through sensational headlines and viral trends, leaving vulnerable populations misinformed and hesitant to seek proper medical care.
It is in the efforts to nip these misinformation in the bud that the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), unveiled Actress Funke Akindele, as the goodwill brand ambassador, who pledged unalloyed support to the efforts to reduce the menace in Nigeria
Currently, the HIV statistics in Nigeria, include 2 million people living with HIV and AIDS, over 1.9 million on life-saving antiretroviral therapy, 100,000 new infections recorded in 2023 and stigmatisation continues to hinder access to care for many
Experts at the recent World AIDS Day event in Abuja stressed the urgent need for digital literacy and proactive measures by social media platforms to combat this issue.
“We must hold tech giants accountable and empower users to identify and report false information,” said the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Temitope Ilori.
As the world strives to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the battle against misinformation online is just as crucial as advancing medical breakthroughs.
Reliable, factual information can save lives, but it takes collective effort to amplify it over the noise of untruths hence all hands must be on deck to use the same platform-social media to bring the facts to limelight.
