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In Cameroon, Social'¯Media'¯Used to Fight Misinformation

Anne Nzouankeu

   YAOUNDE - Cameroon'¯is'¯one of the'¯African countries'¯worst hit'¯by
   the COVID-19'¯pandemic and'¯has been struggling against
   misinformation'¯and fake news'¯on the virus.'¯ Cameroon's'¯ digital
   first responders have taken to social media to counteract the
   misinformation.'¯'¯

   The COVID-19 pandemic has flooded Cameroon's health workers with
   questions'¯ about the virus'¯and'¯about'¯false'¯rumors'¯that hospitals
   are '¯overwhelmed,'¯ and'¯ that'¯ testing'¯is'¯either'¯not
   available'¯or costly.'¯'¯

   The director of'¯Cameroon's'¯National Social Insurance Fund'¯
   Hospital,'¯ Professor'¯Anne'¯ Njom'¯Nlend,'¯took'¯ to Twitter to
   counteract the fake news and remind the public that testing is free.

   She says it's a channel for information.'¯When someone has a lot of
   followers, says Nlend, the effect of the tweet can go a long way.'¯It
   helps the community.

   The United Nations in May launched Verified, a plan
   to'¯promote'¯digital first responders like Professor Nlend'¯to
   fight'¯misinformation'¯on the'¯coronavirus.'¯'¯'¯'¯'¯

   In Cameroon, ICT Media Strategies created Smart Click Africa and
   COVID19.cm to'¯remind'¯the public to check news sources on information
   about the virus.'¯'¯'¯

   Beaugas-Orain'¯Djoyum, thedirector of the media group, said "the first
   question to ask is, who is posting the information? Is the person
   posting the information a resourceful person? You have to go to the
   profile to find out if the publisher is a doctor, and if the person
   usually posts verified and verifiable information."'¯

   The editor
   of'¯Cameroon's'¯Mosaiques'¯newspaper,'¯Parfait'¯Tabapsi,'¯says
   the'¯counter-disinformation efforts are helping, especially when
   experts like Professor'¯Nlend'¯are involved.

   He says'¯the professor is, first of all, a professor of medicine, which
   is something very important.'¯'¯She is also responsible'¯for'¯a
   hospital unit in Cameroon's capital, notes Tabapsi.'¯'¯These are the
   two reasons why when you would need some (medical) information, he
   says, you would take a look at her side.'¯'¯

   Professor'¯Nlend, who is also the president of the Cameroon Society of
   Pediatrics,'¯plans to'¯expand'¯her role as a digital first responder'¯
   to'¯ debunk'¯ disinformation'¯on'¯maternal and child health.'¯'¯'¯

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