@miamalan avatar

@miamalan

@miamalan

Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism

Domain Expertise:
Health JournalismHIV/AIDS and Infectious DiseasesPublic Health Policy in AfricaMedia Training and Sustainability
Detected Biases:
Focus on African health equity may emphasize systemic inequalitiesAffiliation with nonprofit journalism could prioritize underreported stories over mainstream narratives
95%
Average Truthfulness
1
Post Analyzed

Who Is This Person?

Mia Malan is a prominent South African health journalist and the founder of the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, an independent nonprofit focused on evidence-based reporting on health issues in Africa. She has over two decades of experience in journalism, starting at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) covering AIDS and health topics, followed by roles at Internews Network in Nairobi and Washington, D.C., where she managed journalism training programs. In 2011, she lectured at Rhodes University on health and gender reporting. She launched Bhekisisa in 2013 under the Mail & Guardian and made it independent in 2019. Malan is a former Knight International Journalism Fellow and Reuters Institute Fellow at the University of Oxford. Recent activities include breaking news on South Africa's registration of the twice-yearly HIV prevention injection lenacapavir in October 2025, and ongoing coverage of HIV/AIDS prevention, COVID-19, and public health access issues. She remains active in promoting media sustainability in the Global South.

How Credible Are They?

95%
Baseline Score

Mia Malan is a highly credible figure in health journalism, backed by her extensive professional history, institutional affiliations, and award-winning output. Her Twitter activity aligns seamlessly with her expertise, promoting factual, sourced content without sensationalism. The absence of controversies, combined with verification on Twitter and consistent cross-platform professionalism, positions her as a trusted source for public health information in Africa. Minor bias toward advocacy for health access reflects her role but does not compromise factual integrity.

Assessment by Grok AI

What's Their Track Record?

Malan has an exemplary track record of accuracy, having won over 30 awards for her radio, print, and television work, including recognition from the Reuters Institute and Knight Foundation. No instances of fact-checks, corrections, or retractions were found in searches across major databases like FactCheck.org, Snopes, or African fact-checking networks. Her reporting at Bhekisisa adheres to rigorous evidence-based standards, often citing peer-reviewed studies and official sources. Historical coverage of COVID-19 waves, vaccine rollouts, and HIV issues has been praised for clarity and reliability, with no controversies or disputes identified.

What Have We Analyzed?

Recent posts and claims we've fact-checked from this author