Social media plays 'pivotal role in spreading health information'

FE Team | Published: May 28, 2024 22:50:53

Prof Dr. Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said that social media is playing a pivotal role in disseminating health information and advice to the public.
He made the comment while speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the government's largest social media campaign on Tuesday, says a press release.
Addl. Director General (Administration) Dr. Ahmedul Kabir was present as a special guest at the event while Line Director (L & HEP) Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman Arif supervised over the ceremony.
On February 1, the Ministry of Health and the Directorate General of Health Services's Lifestyle, Health Education and Promotion and Bureau of Health Education initiated this four-month-long campaign. Barnamala Communication Limited provided technical support for the campaign.
During the campaign, health awareness messages were delivered to the public through over 500 contents across eight segments, including podcasts, live programmes, OVCs (Online Video Content), influencer campaigns, graphical animations, and static cards.
Total reach and impressions on Facebook and YouTube are more than 120 million in just four months. The details of the campaign's success were highlighted at the concluding ceremony.
At the event, Prof Dr. Abul Bashar Mohammed Khurshid Alam further mentioned that any information and advice spreads quickly on social media. However, the risk of misinformation is also high, he warned.
Highlighting that there is no alternative to awareness for maintaining good health, Dr. Ahmedul Kabir noted the prevalence of misinformation on social media.