This Monday (4), the Ministry of Health announced the launch of a virtual assistant that will help disseminate official vaccination information via WhatsApp.

With this tool, the folder is designed for fake news alerts as well as (fake news) alerts. “The chatbot will provide various content on immunization, alerts on common fake news and additional health information,” the ministry said in a statement. Information taken from R7.

The tool will help disseminate official information about vaccination, according to the Ministry of Health – Photo: Julia Prado/MS

The ministry explained that the tool is part of the Health with Science program, which focuses on assessing science and disseminating reliable information, as well as education and accountability-oriented activities.

Through the platform, it will be possible to access various types of content, such as the opening hours of the Basic Health Branch (UBS), as well as booking appointments through the ConecteSUS app.

How to access

“Interaction with the chatbot is free and available at any time. To access the new channel, simply add the number 61 99381-8399 to your phone’s contacts list. Once you add a contact to your calendar, you can interact via WhatsApp,” the note reads.

When sending the first message, the user will have several options to choose from. Among them is one related to vaccination, with information about campaigns, target audience and dosing schedule. The Vaccine Information option details the characteristics, benefits and importance of vaccines.

The anti-misinformation option was created to refute fake news about vaccines. There is also a question and answer section. “The chatbot also offers a quiz for anyone who wants to test their knowledge,” the ministry added.

Health with science

The Health with Science program is part of the strategy adopted by the federal government to restore high levels of vaccination coverage in Brazil, strengthen health policies and increase acceptance of scientific knowledge, after a period of setbacks.

Health with Science has five pillars that cover collaboration, strategic communication, learning, analysis and accountability. According to the ministry, the program also includes “actions to identify and understand the phenomenon of disinformation, disseminate complete information and proactively respond to the negative health impacts of disinformation networks.”