The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has taken a significant step in the fight against vaccine misinformation by launching a mobile app called “Cranky Uncle Vaccine Game.”
This app is designed to help individuals develop the necessary skills to identify and counter misinformation related to vaccines.
Developed in collaboration with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the app aims to educate users on vaccine safety, efficacy, and importance while also exposing misleading techniques used in spreading vaccine misinformation.
The initiative, themed “Leveraging technology to combat vaccine misinformation,” is intended to address the harmful impact of misinformation on public health.
The “Cranky Uncle Vaccine Game” was developed by UNICEF in partnership with the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Irimi, and Dr. John Cook, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne.
The game is based on inoculation theory and aims to build public resilience against misinformation by combining evidence, humor, cartoons, and critical thinking.
The app features two key characters – a cranky uncle who uses tactics like conspiracy theories and fake science to spread misinformation, and a health worker who serves as the trusted messenger, providing scientific facts and reinforcing the importance of vaccination.
Throughout the game, players learn to recognize and counter different misinformation techniques.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the GHS, emphasized the importance of combating vaccine misinformation, stating that it poses a threat to both individual health and society as a whole.
He encouraged the widespread use of the app ahead of vaccination days and campaigns to increase public awareness.
Mabel Kissiwah Asafo, the acting Director of Health Promotion Division at GHS, called for collaboration to combat misinformation and promote vaccine uptake.
Sonya Sagan, Head of Social and Behaviour Change Unit (SBC) of UNICEF Ghana, highlighted the app as one of many tools being used globally to combat misinformation and promote immunization.
In addition to the mobile app, UNICEF has supported the GHS in setting up a national misinformation task force, developing a national strategy for COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and utilizing various channels to combat misinformation effectively.
By leveraging innovative technology and educational tools like the “Cranky Uncle Vaccine Game,” Ghana is taking proactive steps to ensure accurate information reaches the public and encourage vaccine acceptance.
