Covid-19 info centre extends to 17 countries

Jenna Delport

Facebook is expanding its Coronavirus Information Centre to 17 more countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

   The Information Centre forms part of the social media giant’s effort to help the global fight against Covid-19. It hopes to do this by providing people with the latest news and information from trusted health authorities, as well as resources and tips to stay healthy and support their family and community.

  The Coronavirus Information Centre is featured at the top of News Feed, providing a central place for people to keep informed about the pandemic. It includes real-time updates from national health authorities and global organisations such as the World Health Organization, as well as helpful articles, videos and posts about social distancing and preventing the spread of Covid-19.

  Facebook users can opt in to follow the centre to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government health authorities. 

  The centre, which has already launched in South Africa, will now be expanded to the Saharan African markets of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, DR Congo and Togo.

  Facebook’s Head of Public Policy for Africa, Kojo Boakye says: “We’ve built the information centre, in collaboration with national health partners, to ensure that people can get access to information from trusted health sources. The launch of the Covid-19 Information Center on Facebook in more than 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa aligns with our commitment to making accurate, timely information about the pandemic accessible to all communities.”