A BBC headline for an article on the impact of COVID-19 in Africa misses the mark.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been the question of how the virus would impact Africa. The assumption was that the continent would be impacted to a larger degree, from a public health standpoint, than other parts of the world.
To be clear, the continent has felt its fair share of the impact.
According to Africa CDC, as of September 14, more than 1.3 million cases and nearly 33,000 deaths have been reported in 55 African countries. These numbers, and the loss of life behind, them are staggering.
What’s interesting to note is what these numbers represent - 5% of all cases reported globally. Notwithstanding the possibility of underreporting, if the current narrative about the continent stands, shouldn’t Africa have a larger percentage of global cases?
As with most theories related to this pandemic, we don’t know. Many thoughts have been put forward – from younger demographics to immunity to the latest theory – poverty.
Earlier, in September, a story from BBC reporter, Andrew Harding, was published with the headline,
Coronavirus in Africa: Could poverty explain mystery of low death rates?
The article suggested that the reason for lower case numbers in Africa could be the result of crowded living conditions, which has allowed people to develop immunity to viruses, including this one. It includes the line “What if- and this is putting it rather crudely - poverty proves to be the best defence against Covid-19?”
It’s not surprising this headline caused outrage.
The common thread in these comments is that the headline plays into the stereotype and a consistent negative narrative that is often told about Africa.
I believe this outrage and questioning is healthy, necessary, and ultimately positive. It shows:
A willingness to challenge stereotypes that rely on old tried and true messaging that no longer resonates, even if it comes from the most admired media outlet on the continent.
The power of social media can be used for good. Without the voices on Twitter no change may have occurred.
The need for pan-African media outlets to take the lead on telling African stories is clear, so that it’s not necessary to outsource the narrative to others.
The headline was ultimately changed to remove the reference to poverty.
This article is particularly relevant to me, as a professional communicator, and as someone from Africa. It’s a wakeup call for all of us to not only question what we read, but to use our voice to tell the real story. For those of us who love the continent, no matter where we live, we must, and can, lead the way.
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