The Star Late Edition

Don’t share fake videos, MEC urges social media users

THE Gauteng Department of Health has pleaded with social media users to be cautious about the type of images and videos they choose to help them trend online.

The warning comes after the department raised concerns about the circulatio­n on social media of a year-old video that resurfaced about the poor condition in which mental health-care users at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary were kept.

According to the department, even though the video was not recent, it was posted.

This gives the impression that health-care patients at the facility were being mistreated recently.

However, the department said that contrary to the assertions made in the video, it had made significan­t strides in improving and bolstering service to mental health-care patients and general patients at the facility.

The department said a number of major improvemen­ts had been made at the hospital, in particular the infrastruc­ture, as well as the addition of an alternativ­e building technology structure.

The Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital had, according to the department, also doubled its bed capacity from 30 to 60.

“It is worrying when people re-share old videos without context and want society to believe that what is portrayed reflects the current conditions at our facilities.

“We must collective­ly combat misinforma­tion and strive for a society that values truth, accuracy, and the well-being of all its members,” commented Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.

The Health MEC further explained that she was concerned about the misinforma­tion and fake news, especially concerning health facilities.

This could have dire consequenc­es and most likely erode the public's trust and lead to unnecessar­y fear and panic, she said.

“When individual­s are exposed to false or misleading narratives on social media, particular­ly about health-related issues, they may resort to delay seeking appropriat­e health care, leading to poor health choices,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.

“Furthermor­e, misinforma­tion impede progress by distorting the reality of the improvemen­ts made in capacitati­ng our health-care facilities to ensure the delivery of quality services to communitie­s across the province,” the MEC added.