MEDIA-TED VIRUS DEBATE

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 organised and ? nanced. 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