Google move to get trusted information on dengue

FE Team | Published: November 14, 2023 00:32:03

In response to this year's unprecedented surge in dengue fever cases, Google worked with the Government of Bangladesh, the US Embassy in Dhaka, UNICEF, and other organisations to connect people to authoritative information on preventing, identifying, and seeking help for dengue fever, reports UNB.
Through these collaborations, Google launched various helpful features on Search and YouTube to connect people with trusted information quickly when they need it the most, according to a press release.
When people in Bangladesh visited Google.com, they were shown, depending on language preferences, a link in Bangla or in English directing them to a helpful DGHS-approved UNICEF public service announcement, it said.
Google also launched SOS alerts on Search to direct users interested in dengue-related queries in Bangla or in English to authoritative information on dengue and to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Health Call Centre (16263).
This was done in conjunction with two microsites for Search terms related to dengue, in Bangla and in English, which show search trends on dengue-related queries, the release also said.
Bangladeshis can also find information on dengue-related search trends at: goo.gle/BD-EN-dengue (English) and goo.gle/BD-BN-dengue (Bangla).
There are also three DGHS-approved UNICEF public service announcements on the homepage of YouTube for easier access to the information. These steps have helped ensure users can access authoritative information on preventing dengue fever, identifying symptoms, and seeking help when needed.
"This year, Bangladesh faced an unprecedented Dengue outbreak. With so much disinformation on miracle cures and bad advice to avoid infection, it was critical to get accurate and correct information to the public. During crisis situations, misinformation can easily spread. We appreciated having partners such as Google, DGHS, and others to ensure that the most trusted information was quickly accessible to the Bangladeshi people. Partnerships such as this one between the private sector and governments can be highly effective in getting trusted public health information about topics such as dengue to the public quickly. The U.S. Embassy was happy to be a part of this valuable initiative," said Dr Neely Kaydos-Daniels, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Director in Bangladesh.
"The situation in Bangladesh has been extremely serious. We know many people are anxious to find out trusted health information. Google is in a unique position to be able to connect people to such support, and we're glad to play our part by working with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), UNICEF, the US Embassy, and other organizations to help Bangladeshis find accurate and timely information," said Farhan Qureshi (Country Director, Google Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka).