Press Council of India (PCI) has revised its 1993 guidelines for media coverage of HIV/AIDS and now says no to using the term "scourge", hidden camera to show people living with HIV, and images of the sick and dying, reported Indo Asian News Service Monday.
The new guideline has also stipulated that journalists should not disclose the identity of the people infected with HIV. The council clarified that since "HIV is not synonymous with AIDS, 'HIV/AIDS' as a term is no longer considered accurate".
India's 1993 guidelines were revised after a writ petition was filed by the National Network of Positive People, objecting to visuals shown by the media of two children suffering from the condition and the subsequent false reporting of the death of one of them.
The court then directed the PCI to issue fresh directions to the media. The council held meetings with the UNAIDS and activists working in the field and issued its revised guidelines Sunday.
India is now home to 2.5 million HIV-positive patients, including 70,000 children below the age of 14.
Source: Xinhua
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