Kojo Boakye - Afrikan Heroes

Facebook Expands Coronavirus Information Center to 24 more countries in Africa

April 24, 2020

Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye

As more African countries record cases of the rampaging Covid-19 disease caused by the Coronavirus, Facebook, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, and the African Union, is making efforts to keep people informed of the developments. To tackle misinformation and the spread of fake news while keeping people genuinely informed is the reason behind Facebook’s expansion of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center across more African countries.

This expansion became necessary as part of the social media giant’s Coronavirus Information Center which will see 24 more countries in Africa covered in the ongoing commitment to empowering people around the world with timely and accurate news from trusted health authorities. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center is featured at the top of News Feed and provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus. It includes real-time updates from national official sources, regional and global organizations such as the Africa Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization as well as helpful resources – articles, videos and posts – and tips about social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Facebook users can opt-in to the Center to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government, regional or global health authorities. Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye, says: “Facebook is supporting the public health community’s work across the world to keep all communities informed during the coronavirus pandemic. We are happy to provide nearly every country in Sub-Saharan Africa with its own Information Center so people across the continent have a central place to find authoritative information around COVID-19.”

The new countries where Facebook is launching the Coronavirus Information Center are: Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea,Eritrea, Eswatini, Gambia,Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe

The Coronavirus Information Center is already in place in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad Ethiopia,Gabon,Guinea,Kenya,Mali,Mauritania,Mauritius,Nigeria,Senegal,Seychelles,South Africa, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Togo. Facebook said that this will help in no small way to ensure government and the people are on same age of information regarding the unfolding events.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Facebook launches Coronavirus Information Center in 17 African Countries

April 9, 2020

Facebook’s Head of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye

Global social media giant, Facebook is expanding its Coronavirus Information Center to 17 more countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Information Centers form part of Facebook’s effort to help the global fight against COVID-19 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 (COVID-19) Information Center is featured at the top of News Feed, that provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus. It includes real-time updates from national health authorities and global organizations 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 center to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government health authorities.

The center has already launched in South Africa, it will now be expanded to the following new sub – Saharan African markets: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, CapeVerde, Chad, Côted’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Togo

According to Facebook’s Head of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye, “We’ve built the information centers, 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.”

Kelechi Deca