By Our Reporter
The Ministry of Health together with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, with support from Clinton Health Access Initiative in Uganda, have today launched a Business APP on WhatsApp.
The free-to-use service will provide a central source of accurate, trustworthy and up-to-date information about Coronavirus with the goal of keeping Ugandans safe and constantly informed about the virus.
Speaking on the collaboration with WhatsApp, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine describes WhatsApp as a very important platform for disseminating information about COVID-19.
She says WhatsApp users can access the free information service by simply adding the number +256 32 3200660 to their phone contacts and type any word e.g. “Hi” to get started.
Facebook’s Head of Public Policy for East & the Horn of Africa, Mercy Ndegwa says the collaboration with Facebook has also included training government officials on the best practices of using Facebook tools on the government’s efforts around COVID-19.
The World Health Organisation and a number of Health Ministries around the world are already running Coronavirus health information lines on WhatsApp.
