The Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Kerala has urged doctors to spend at least 10 minutes on social media daily, to spread the authentic medical information to common people, in an attempt to increase awareness about fake medical news among general public.

Dr. RC Sreekumar, Chairman, Digital, IMA, Kerala while talking about the initiative said that IMA had conducted a "health parliament" in Thiruvananthapuram, in which doctors were asked to be active on social media to share the right medical knowledge to people. They have decided to involve more doctors in social media and requested all members of IMA to spend at least 10 minutes on social media in the morning to give right scientific explanations to diseases and advice correct treatment accordingly.

Dr. Sreekumar had highlighted that there are several advertisements surfacing online which promise a cure to diseases like cancer and diabetes. He also added that fake news concerning pulse polio vaccination was also being shared on social media platforms. An alarming fake message was shared about children becoming mentally retarded or autistic after administering the pulse polio vaccine. Such fake news can be countered by scientific explanations provided by the doctors to patients.

The IMA Chairman said that Kerala was supposed to be a completely immunized state, as diseases like poliomyelitis, measles, diphtheria and many others have been eradicated. But, the immunization is not reaching the poor people, hence few hospitals are flooded with measles and polio cases.

RC Sreekumar said that people are being deceived by social media messages on cancer cure and it needs to be opposed immediately. If cancer is detected in the first or second stage of the disease, treatment is easier and there are few complications. But cancer patients reach doctors in their fourth stage after going through unscientific modes of treatment as they are misled by social media messages on cancer cure.

Source: Republic