New “Ask Raksha” WhatsApp Bot Introduced
The Raksha bot, which is short for Readily Accessible Knowledge and Support for Health Action, will help people find answers to numerous health-related queries and even fact-check health topics so that they are not misinformed. It is based on the WhatsApp Business platform.
Besides looking for correct health information, people can also subscribe to the bot for daily tips and sign up for quizzes to check their knowledge on health topics. The “Ask Raksha” bot is currently available in English, but will soon support Hindi and Bengali.
Shivnath Thukral, Public Policy Director, WhatsApp India, said, “We’re pleased to support the launch of ‘Ask RAKSHA’ – The Healthy Indian Project’s chatbot built on the WhatsApp Business platform that will help users access credible health-related information from the independent third-party fact-checker, certified by International Fact-Checking Network. At WhatsApp, the safety of our users is at the core of everything we do and we have devoted efforts to empowering users with resources and tools that equip them to fact-check and receive authentic information.“
To avail of the bot’s services, you can simply send a “Hi” to +91-85078-85079 on WhatsApp and follow the on-screen instructions to get started.
This comes in addition to the recently introduced “Bol Behen” chatbot, which allows young women in India to get information on their health and sexual wellbeing. This bot can be accessed by sending “Hi” to +91-7304496601.
And this isn’t all! WhatsApp has partnered with various government ministries and organizations to introduce bots like MyGov Corona Helpdesk and more in the past two years. So, will you use the new bot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
