South Africa: Health Minister Responds to Misinformation On Covid-19 Vaccine
Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has expressed serious concern about a “sustained” campaign of misinformation and disinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccines.
Recently, in what appears to be a deepfake video, SABC news anchor Oliver Dickson is seen to be interviewing Professor Salim Abdool Karim, the Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA).
During the fake interview, Abdool Karim is depicted as making claims that the COVID-19 vaccine is causing harm and resulting in fatalities.
“The latest fake news campaign, driven by artificial intelligence applications, has targeted a distinguished South African scientist, Abdool Karim, who is portrayed as warning South Africans about the purportedly deadly effects of the COVID-19 vaccines that… saved the lives of many South Africans during the difficult time of the pandemic,” the department said.
The department believes that this campaign is being led by some unscrupulous individuals, who are promoting their business interests.
It said these people are determined to spread distorted and malicious information about the alleged negative effects of COVID-19 vaccines to promote their harmful remedies, which pose a risk to the health of South Africans.
“According to our information, these actions are meant to hoodwink members of the public into buying fake heart medicine. This is done through mail order, and the fake product is not working or is making people feel even sicker.”
Abdool Karim and the organisation he leads, CAPRISA, have also distanced themselves from these videos by imposing a “fake news” stamp on all the circulating videos.
The department has also since done its part by joining the fake news alert on social media.
“Minister Motsoaledi condemns in the strongest terms possible the fake news campaign by these charlatans with business interests who, for their nefarious reasons, are determined to create confusion among the people for the sake of immoral profiteering,” the department said.
The Minister has since appealed to all to reject these remedies that purportedly cleanse the victim’s blood vessels and improve heart performance.
“Motsoaledi encourages all South Africans to continue to embrace all life-saving vaccines approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and the National Department of Health.
“The Minister, therefore, calls upon all South Africans to close ranks, isolate the forces of darkness and join the fight against misinformation and disinformation in the best interests of South Africa and all its people,” the department said.
By SAnews.gov.za.
