The World Health Organisation (WHO) has created a new interactive chatbot on women's health. The first set of messages is on breast cancer, in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is held every October.
The new chatbot is the latest in a series that uses the Viber platform to send health information directly to customers' mobile phones. COVID-19, mental health, and smoking cessation were among the topics covered by previous chatbots.
Subscribers to the new chatbot will receive information on how to lower their breast cancer risk, as well as symptoms and treatment choices. The chatbot will soon be available in additional languages, including English, Greek, Hungarian, Russian, and Ukrainian. On the platform, there are also colourful stickers with encouraging words that may be shared.
“I am delighted to see this new initiative to better inform women about breast cancer, which is now the most common form of cancer worldwide,” said Dr Bente Mikkelsen, Director of the World Health Organisation's Department of Non-communicable Diseases. She further stressed on recognising the importance of initiatives like this one in equipping people with the knowledge they need to take better care of their health as, “Knowing what to look for and when to seek medical help can save lives.”
In the next months, the platform is anticipated to add messaging about other women's health issues.