Facebook announces new step to check misconceptions about COVID-19

Former NMA president tasks FG on life insurance for health workers
Facebook has announced another step is taking to combat the spread of harmful deceptions and misinformation about COVID-19 on its platforms.
 
It explained through Facebook’s Newsfeed, that users who interact with harmful COVID-19 claims would receive messages on coronavirus myths debunked by the World Health Orgnaisation (WHO) including misinformation that has led to physical harm.
 
This step aims at ensure that all Facebook users who may have interacted with harmful information about the virus get the truth from authoritative sources in case they encounter these claims again on Facebook.
  
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook disclosed that it has connected people to accurate information from health experts to keep harmful misinformation about the virus from spreading on its apps.

It pointed out that the efforts have seen the company direct over two billion people to resources from WHO and other health authorities through its COVID-19 Information Centre and pop-ups on Facebook and Instagram with over 350 million people clicking through to learn more.
 
The company has also partnered with over 60 third-party fact-checking organisations worldwide spanning across 50 languages. The programme continues to grow and add more partners and languages.
  
Once a piece of content is rated false by fact-checkers, Facebook said it reduces its distribution and shows warning labels with more context.

Head of Public Policy, Facebook Africa, Kojo Boakye, said, “To date, we’ve directed over two billion people to resources from the WHO and other health authorities through our COVID-19 Information Centre and pop-ups on Facebook and Instagram.

“As the pandemic evolves, we will continue focusing on the most effective ways to keep misinformation about COVID-19 off our apps and ensure people have credible information from health experts globally and locally.”
 
Meanwhile, a former national President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Idris Omede, has charged the Federal Government to facilitate and commence its planned life insurance for medical and health professionals and other front liners in the fight to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Omede who was also former Commissioner for Health in Kogi State said this in Abuja yesterday, insisting that insurance for health workers would provide risk or hazards support for them, especially during the pandemic. 

He also asked the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement its planned interventions to improve health infrastructure, equipment and manpower in the country.