A Media Analysis of the Victorian Outbreak of Buruli Ulcer

This report provides a detailed media analysis of the Victorian Buruli Ulcer outbreak, focusing on a news article from The Sydney Morning Herald. The analysis examines the article's portrayal of the government's response to the epidemic, the use of expert opinions, and the impact on public perception. The report highlights the author's claims, the spread of the disease, and the government's counter-arguments, including funding and preventative measures. It also discusses a case study of an infected child and the emotional impact of the article. The report concludes by considering potential biases, the influence of political events, and the overall effectiveness of the media coverage in presenting a balanced view of the issue. The analysis emphasizes the importance of factual accuracy and balanced reporting in public health crises. The report is a student contribution to Desklib, a platform offering AI-powered study tools and resources for students, including past papers and solved assignments.

Running head: MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
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1MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
Victoria’s outbreak of flesh-eating ulcers has been a major issue that has been hitting
the headlines from the early months of 2018 with accusations directed towards the
government due to its incapability to control the epidemic. The outbreak of the Buruli ulcer
from Victoria to even parts of Melbourne has been a major issue that the present ruling
government has to deal with. Claims about the government’s indifference to address the
epidemic has already raised eyebrows of the common people. The increasing number of
infected people and lack of proper treatment which has even lead to several amputations has
already put the government in a tight spot. In this discussion, the prime focus is on the
analysis of a news article published recently which directly accuses the government of not
adhering to the seriousness of the issue by remaining indifferent.
The media article which is to be analysed has appeared in one of the leading
newspapers of Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald. This makes the article all the more
important as it reaches out to a huge reader base of the Sydney Morning Herald. The
newspaper presents the article in such a form that comments, both for or against the issue are
presented to the reader but according to the structure of the article it can be clearly seen that
the newspaper takes a definite side and corners the government with its inability to cope with
the situation. It indirectly tries to convince the readers that more could have been done on the
part of the government as measures to control the epidemic although factual data from the
government websites present a different view altogether.
The author of the article, Liam Mannix is an established journalist who uses
references from an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia by Associate
Professor, Daniel O’Brien. Professor O’Brien is the Deputy Director of the Department of
Infectious Diseases, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine, University of
Melbourne. An expert in his field of work, Professor O’Brien makes strong claims against the
government highlighting their indifference in the current situation and how efficiently his

2MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
team is working with limited resources. However, it is an accepted fact that with limited
resources, they will soon exhaust themselves and the explosive epidemic can go out of
control (O'Brien et al. 2018). Claims from such a leading doctor brings more gravity to the
issue the article is trying to address and hence makes the author’s claims more concrete and
real.
The article discusses how fast the epidemic is spreading with a rise of over 400% in
the last four years (Mannix 2018). The media tries to convince the readers of the seriousness
of the issue by highlighting the fact that how an efficient doctor like Professor O’Brien is
panicked under the current situation, with the increasing case numbers every day. The
seriousness of the case comes as the symptoms of the disease comes unidentified and it
confuses the general physicians into wrong treatment. The article focuses on the issue that
this comes due to the lack of proper research and study of the ulcer. It is quite natural for a
doctor to be anxious of the issues that is affecting the people, but the author uses this as an
issue to suppress the government measures and corner the government.
The discussion further focuses on how the epidemic spread. The bacterium,
Mycobacterium ulcerans, which causes the ulcer is spreading like wildfire on the Mornington
Peninsula. The tissue which was previously confined to West African countries, namely,
Cameroon and Ghana, has found a new home in Australia. However, the author notes that the
disease is not new to Australia. It was first diagnosed in 1930 in Victoria, but was never
considered a major threat in the healthcare sector of the Australian people
(Www2.health.vic.gov.au 2018). But he informs the reader of the seriousness of the issue as
the ulcer had a sudden escalation since 2012. The unknown cause behind this sudden
escalation and the severity of the disease which if not identified early causes immense pain
and requires surgical modification.

3MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
The claims that the author makes are justified and highly factual which addresses the
true nature of the disease and its severity. Moreover, statements by Professor O’Brien
regarding the loss of time in researching and analysis is further worsening the issue. The
author also presents the statements by The Department of Health and Human Services who
denies Professor O’Brien’s claims about lack of government interest. The government states
that they have spent $800000 for the research and more amount is to be spent for the fast
analysis of the disease (Mannix 2018). However, the author presents the idea in such a
manner that it has been made clear to the readers that there is no concrete evidence of such
government claims. Higher escalation in case records over the last few years undermines the
government claims and highlights Professor O’Brien’s claims to be more genuine to the
reader. However, besides the couple of statements featured by the author in his article, the
Victorian government has indeed taken precautionary measures to aware its citizens of the
rising epidemic. In a government journal, the Victorian government has already stated the
precautionary issues that are to be taken to avoid the disease and has tried to inform the
citizens how they can identify the disease and how they can notify the government of
possible infections so that the hospitals can take proper measures to provide cure to the
victim (Www2.health.vic.gov.au 2018). The author suppresses these facts, cornering the
government, maybe due to political biasness, but that does not belittles the seriousness of the
epidemic in general.
The straight tone of the article and the medical facts that it produces regarding the
ulcer creates a horrifying image of the disease in front of the readers. Explanation of facts
such as how the bacteria causes tissue death and eventual rotting of the skin, and if not treated
early might lead to surgical modification creates a scenario where the readers are influenced
to believe the horror of the disease. Moreover, the government claims of doing the needful is
undermined in the reader’s notice as compared to the seriousness of the disease. The author

4MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
presents the government claims as menial and formal instead of being more of concern and
urgency. Even at the present day the government is unsure about how the disease spreads.
They claim that it might spread though mosquitoes or possums but has no concrete evidence
(Mannix 2018). These type of factual statements by the author makes the reader more aware
of the incapacity of the government.
While presenting the facts, the author has not completely balanced the views of both
the sides equally and has presented a one sided view of the situation. The discussion in an
earlier paragraph about the insufficient budget allotted for the medical research for Buruli
ulcer is limited is not entirely true. According to the Victorian Government, The Minister of
Health, Jill Hennessey has already announced an extra $250000 grant for research beside the
$800000 mentioned earlier. These researchers have also been successful in attracting a
National Health and Medical Research Council partnership grant of $1.5 million (Premier of
Victoria 2018).
The author then proceeds to provide a case scenario as he is well aware that besides
factual data, a real life case scenario can have a better effect on the readers. The real life
scenario lets them relate to the situation even more closely keeping in mind that the same
thing can happen even to their own family members which doubles their concern. The author
provides an interview of a family where a certain kid named Gus Charles was infected
(Mannix 2018). The earlier symptoms of the disease which remains unidentified to this day
misled the general physicians he visited into alternative treatment. The lump that occurred in
his knee showed no signs of reduction and when they visited a surgeon who sliced into it, a
huge puss filled abscess was identified. This helped the family get proper diagnosis to save
the child. In an emotional statement, the mother of Charles, laments that no doctor could
identify the disease in Melbourne and if the child had received an early treatment he would
have suffered so much. This type of interviews have an emotional effect on the readers too as

5MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
they can relate it to their own family members and how difficult it can be for them if such
diseases occur in the family. Moreover, the use of pictures showing the horrific images of the
ulcer and its causes creates a fear in the mind of the readers.
Articles with such high values to affect the readers’ mind can easily corner the target,
in this case The Department of Health and Human Services. The author who is a journalist
tactically tries not to be biased and states that the government agency experts were trying to
analyse possum faeces in the Mornington Peninsula, in order to isolate the bacterium, and
crack its genetic code. This claims to help the general physicians to diagnose the disease for a
proper treatment. However, the author also provides counter argument by referring to the
Medical Journal of Australia, where Professor O’Brien claims that shortage of funds are
limiting their research and they are yet to find the basic answers to questions such as the
origins of the bacterium in Australia, how it is spreading, and how to stop the epidemic.
Claims from such an eminent doctor belittles the statements of the government agencies
which creates a political dogma among the readers as to whether the present government
addressing their problems is the right one to represent them.
The author who presents himself to be unbiased but actually uses excessive emotive
language in appealing to the readers, who are being influenced to believe that the government
is actually indifferent about the present scenario of the epidemic. The emotive language is a
type of writing which presents a simple situation in a superfluous manner to draw the readers’
emotions and influence them in believing a simple fact to be a grave and serious issue
(Johnny 2017). However, the facts from the government website of the Victorian government
states otherwise, which counters the idea of the newspaper article and highly lowers its
claims that the government has not been doing the needful. The influencing language of the
author draws the readers away from these facts and spoon-feeds them with only highlighted
facts and limited resources.

6MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
Several causes can be stated for these type of writings to occur. One of the most
important causes to undermine the Victorian labour government was the scandal regarding
the election scam. Several MPs of the Daniel Andrews Labor government has been of late
accused of paying money during the election campaign to regulate the election results in their
favour (The Guardian 2018). Despite such allegations, the Labor party came out victorious
and believed that such scandals would slowly fade away from the minds of the people. Mr
Mannix might have been politically biased and been influenced to write the article in such a
manner to represent the government in a negative role. The purpose of this article may be is
to highlight more negative aspects of the labor government besides the election scam. This
may influence the people into realizing that they might not have elected the right government
to represent them and address their issues.
According to me, the article is not convincing as it does not provide both the views
for or against the motion in a balanced manner. The author has put more weight on one side
of the argument and highlighted limited and incomplete views on the other side. He has used
the statements of one of the most prominent doctors of Australia to support his cause which
makes his arguments more believable to the readers. Professor O’Brien’s reasons might have
been for a constructive purpose appealing to the government to stand beside the doctors in
supporting them. However, the author presents the government views in a distorted manner to
directly contrast Professor O’Brien’s appeal. The government in reality mentions generous
funds in research and development in their official website. The actual figures of the
allocated budget has also been suppressed to present a biased view of the inability of the
government. Putting such sensitive issues to undermine the government has always been an
effective tools for the journalists. They tend to connect one issue with the other and bring
together the vices of the government although they are not related, to sway the readers into
believing that the government is not right for them. The author here uses the power of the

7MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
media to appeal to a large number of audiences to emotionally motivate them against the
government.
The claims of the author about the underdeveloped research structure in Australia, and
the government’s unwillingness to invest into it is highly unbelievable. Though it can
influence the readers for a brief moment of time, logical minds can quickly relate to the
reality. The situation about the Buruli ulcer epidemic may be true and is having a huge
escalation in the number of infected, the case scenario can be seen as a temporary disaster in
the health sector of Victoria. The Australian health system which boasts of an enviable state
of the art infrastructure can quickly find a solution to the infectious epidemic and restore
normality in the outspread. Currently preventive measures are being encouraged to stop
further infections. Notices and journals of the health ministry clearly states the procedures to
be followed for the disease to be identified and where to contact for proper treatment to
follow. The suppression of such facts on the part of the author shows his biasedness against
the present government.
The conclusion that can be drawn from the media analysis of the discussed article is
that the author has not been entirely honest while presenting arguments for the government,
and has put more weight on the contrasting views against the government. This has helped
him to create a politically biased report which appeals to the emotions of the common readers
and motivates them to develop a negative feeling for the government. This report comes at a
time when the Victorian Government is already dealing with a bigger scam of regulating and
influencing elections. This report only adds fuel to the earlier alleged scam of the government
and helps in creating a stronger sense of scorn among the readers for the present government.

8MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
Reference:
JOHNNY, S.P.S. 2017. Stylistics of technical writing and creative writing: A comparative
and contrastive study. Research Journal of English and Literature, 5(3), pp.2321-3108.
Mannix, L. 2018. Flesh-eating ulcer outbreak 'exploding epidemic' in Victoria. [Online] The
Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/flesh-
eating-ulcer-outbreak-exploding-epidemic-in-victoria-20180413-p4z9ig.html [Accessed 18
May 2018].
O'Brien, D., Athan, E., Blasdell, K. and De Barro, P. 2018. Tackling the worsening epidemic
of Buruli ulcer in Australia in an information void: time for an urgent scientific response.
[Online] Mja.com.au. Available at: https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2018/208/7/tackling-
worsening-epidemic-buruli-ulcer-australia-information-void-time-urgent [Accessed 18 May
2018].
Premier of Victoria. 2018. Research Funding To Unravel Buruli Ulcer Mysteries In Victoria.
[Online] Available at: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/research-funding-to-unravel-buruli-
ulcer-mysteries-in-victoria/ [Accessed 18 May 2018].
The Guardian. 2018. Labor rort referred to Vic auditor-general. [Online] Available at:
http://www.theguardian.com.au/story/5301794/labor-rort-referred-to-vic-auditor-general/?
cs=8 [Accessed 18 May 2018].
Www2.health.vic.gov.au. 2018. Increased incidence of Buruli ulcer in Victoria. [Online]
Available at: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/news-and-events/HealthAlerts/increased-
incidence-of-buruli-ulcer-in-victoria-april-2018 [Accessed 18 May 2018].

9MEDIA ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN OUTBREAK OF BURULI ULCER
Www2.health.vic.gov.au. 2018. Notification procedures. [Online] Available at:
https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/notification-procedures
[Accessed 18 May 2018].