“Stop using images of black people as the ‘face’ of monkeypox outbreak in Europe, North America”

Journalists who cover Africa for foreign media under their umbrella association of Foreign Press Association, Africa have protested the continued use of images of black people alongside stories of the monkeypox outbreak in Europe and North America.

In a statement dated May 21, 2022, the journalists said that it is disturbing for European and North American media outlets to use stock images bearing persons with dark/black and African skin complexion to depict the outbreak of the disease that has affected people in Europe and North America.

“According to the World Health Organisation, Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. As any other disease, it can occur in any region in the world and afflict anyone regardless of race or ethnicity,” the statement reads in part.

“As such, we believe that no race or skin complexion should be the face of the disease,” the statement adds.

The journalists covering Africa added that what is logical is that if one is talking about the outbreak of monkeypox in Europe or the America, then they should use images from hospitals across Europe or the Americas.

“In the absence of such use a collection of election micrographs with labelled sub-cellular structures. We condemn the perpetuation of this negative stereotype that assigns calamity to the African race and privilege or immunity to other races,” the journalists added.

They added that media should be at the forefront of shaping positive images and narratives especially at a time when the world is forging alliances against systemic racism and racial stereotypes.

The statement comes at a time when several European and North American media outlets have been called out on social media for using photos of black/African people on stories of the monkeypox outbreak in Europe and North America.

Health officials in Europe are on high alert following a warning from WHO that the cases might spread through Europe.

Portugal said on Wednesday last week it had identified five cases of monkeypox, Spain said it was testing 23 potential cases, and the US state of Massachusetts announced it had found a case in a man who recently travelled to Canada.