Amid the country’s efforts to fight COVID-19, the government also has to tackle fake news, misinformation and prank calls. The Health Ministry’s hotline 2121 and 112 have been receiving prank calls and social media are filled with false information.
The Foreign Minister during the press conference yesterday informed that people making prank calls and creating fake news are being traced and will be dealt with accordingly.
After Bhutan confirmed its first COVID-19 case in a 76-year-old tourist on Friday, the Health Ministry created hotline 2121 to answer the COVID-19 related queries and 112 for ambulatory services. While these hotlines receive hundreds of COVID-19 related questions every day, some people are making pranks calls.
“Since yesterday we have been receiving a number of prank calls and given the situation, I think this is not the time for prank calls. A person who is repeatedly giving prank calls, we have asked the police to trace the person and we will track and we will deal with that person according to the law of the country. They should refrain from using that hotline to make a prank call,” said Dr Tandi Dorji, the Foreign Minister.
The Ministry says prank calls can delay the delivery of critical and life-saving health services.
Moreover, the media team for the COVID-19 are tracking and monitoring the fake news disseminated through social media.
“We would like to take countermeasures in trying to correct those false messages to allay people’s fear and to bring out the right messages through the right channels. Those channels that we have identified as of now as agreed upon by all 10 ministries is, all information related to COVID-19 will be updated on the Health Ministry’s website on an hourly basis,” added Lyonpo.
International Experts say that fake news and misinformation has done more damage to people and the country than the virus.
Sangay Chezom
