FactspaceWA, Accra 25. 04. 2024 – On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, FactSpace West Africa joined other partners to launch a new mobile app called “Cranky Uncle Vaccine Mobile Game” to combat misinformation surrounding vaccine hesitancy.
The launch took place at the conference room of the Health Promotion Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and was attended by notable organisations like UNICEF and USAID/Ghana Accelerating Social and Behavior Change (ASBC). It was held on the theme: “Leveraging Technology to Combat Vaccine Misinformation”.
The game is based on two key characters – a Cranky Uncle and a Health Worker.
Cranky Uncle uses tricks like “conspiracy theory”, “natural is best”, and “fake scientist” among many others to mislead people against vaccination.
Then the health worker, who, as research shows, is the “trusted messenger,” counters these tricks by using scientific and verifiable facts that support vaccination and reinforce the importance of vaccination. Using gamification techniques, users play the game and as they win, learn and stay motivated to carry on and move through the various thematic areas.
The Director of FactSpace WA, Rabiu Alhassan, noted before the launch that the organisation has been encouraging students in tertiary institutions across the country to download and use the gamified platform to learn more about tricks used in misinformation.
Rabiu Alhassan, Director of FactSpace West Africa
He noted that so far Cranky Uncle Game Activation has been carried out in four institutions: the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi; the University of Development Studies (UDS), Tamale; the University of Media, Arts, and Communication—Institute of Journalism (UniMAC-IJ); and the GH Media School.
He urged the students of the School of Hygiene and the School of Public Health Nursing, who were present at the function, to use the app and give feedback towards enhancing it further.
Mabel Kissiwaa Asafo, the Acting Director of the Health Promotion Division at GHS
Mabel Kissiwaa Asafo, the Acting Director of the Health Promotion Division at GHS noted the need to address a pressing concern that has invaded Ghanaian society, among others the proliferation of mis- and disinformation regarding the vaccine, which poses negative consequences for public health and require more than just reactive measures.
She also advocated for the adopting of proactive and effective responses to crises and preventing them from occurring in the first place.
Ms Sonya Sagan of UNICEF
Explaining the notion behind the app, Ms Sonya Sagan said the Cranky Uncle game is based on the science of inoculation theory and is an approach to building public resilience against misinformation.
Ms Sagan added that inoculation theory is a branch of psychology research which offers a framework for neutralising misinformation. She noted that Cranky Uncle focuses on common tricks used to spread misinformation which were gathered through community research and feedback from social listening platforms.
Sonya noted preliminary uptake research in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya where UNICEF has supported the deployment of the game, revealing that the game has assisted in shifting people’s attitudes towards vaccines, improved vaccine literacy and led to positive vaccine behaviours.
A short skit by some of the students helped the participants to grasp knowledge one can gain from play the Cranky Uncle game.
By Julius Kofi Satsi
