The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population announced the launch of an automatic response service via WhatsApp for any inquiries related to the global health pandemic, COVID- 19.
According to their announcement on the ministry’s official Facebook page, the official media spokesperson Dr. Khaled Mujahed said that this 24/7 service is free and is open to all citizens who want answers on certain COVID- 19 issues.
He added on to say that this WhatsApp service will serve as the central source for accurate, reliable and constantly updated information regarding COVID- 19 for Egyptians living in and outside the country.
It is quite simple to access as the number is “01553105105”. When on your phone, click on the link: https://wa.me/201553105105 and it will direct you to the WhatsApp chat. Next, all you have to do is send the word ‘hi’. The response you receive will be a list of options from which you can choose such as, statistics in the country, tips for staying home, answers to common questions and links to the ministry’s social media platforms.
The ministry explained that WhatsApp was happy to provide this necessary communication tool for the citizens. Several ministries and governments around the world have resorted to using WhatsApp as a service for keeping everyone in the loop at any given time.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SERVICE
WHO WhatsApp Service
The most notable example of another global WhatsApp service was made by the World Health Organization (WHO).
For those who are unaware, it is also 24/ 7 and gives “prompt, reliable and official information” on a worldwide scale, according to the official WhatsApp announcement. Similarly to Egypt’s Ministry of Health service, all you have to do is message ‘hi’ to the WHO Health Alert.
In a statement, WHO’s General Director Tedros Adhanom said that “digital technology gives us an unprecedented opportunity for vital health information to go viral and spread faster than the pandemic, helping us save lives and protect the vulnerable.”
This is one of the things that ministries and governments around the world are resorting to when it comes to keeping the public constantly informed at any given moment.
A huge part of being able to flatten the curve and curb the globally increasing death toll is by constantly being aware.
