With 35,000 followers now, Info Clinic seeks to educate people about correct medical practices

In April, before the monsoon set, Kerala was grappling with an outbreak of water-borne diseases. Among the claims that spread about the “best available treatment” for dengue was a “natural remedy” of drinking the extract of papaya leaves to increase blood platelet count.

When the number of patients grew with the onset of monsoon and even healthcare professionals started following such methods, a Facebook page managed by a group of doctors in Kerala came out with a strong post against them. Quoting medical journals and previous scientific studies, the page exposed the unscientific nature of the claim. The post became so popular that even inspectors in the State Health Department started giving study classes quoting it. Shimna Azeez, one of the admins of the page, who works for a private medical college in Kozhikode, told The Hindu , that as many as 1,452 people shared the post and there were about a hundred comments.

Info Clinic, the Facebook page launched on October 11, 2016, is gradually evolving as a platform to clear the doubts of the common man about health, diseases and medical treatment.

P.S. Jinesh, lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Kottayam, who is another admin, explains the background. “Diphtheria cases had just resurfaced and there were campaigns against vaccination and modern medicine. We thought of using the social media to counter it,” Dr. Jinesh said.

Initially, four or five doctors were active in the page. Now there are five admins and more than 25 doctors participate in discussions, write articles, and clear the doubts of the people.

Rigorous process

Dr. Jinesh says the doctors first discuss relevant medical topics among themselves. Cross-checking; collection of relevant medical journals and statistical data; and arguments and counter-arguments ensue — which give the post a logical shape. “People send us messages and mails too about different diseases and we write about them also,” he said.

The page now puts out three posts every week. On June 18, they had their first live chat. Right now, the page has more than 36,000 followers and some 35,000 likes. “We used to be so proud of the Kerala model and the strides we made in healthcare. The whole thing is falling apart now. We are doing our bit to make a change,” said Dr. Shimna.

Dr. Jinesh adds their aim is to uphold ethical medical practice when unscrupulous practices by hospitals and drug companies were turning people away from modern medicine.