Why is it in the news?

• The Healthy Indian Project (THIP) has recently joined the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Safety Net (VSN) as a member, enhancing its role as a trusted health information platform in India.

More about the news

• The primary goal of THIP is to enhance health literacy among Indians by providing credible and evidence-based health information.
• THIP is available in five major Indian languages: English, Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, and Gujarati.
• Being included in the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Safety Net (VSN) since 2023 signifies THIP’s commitment to upholding high standards of accuracy and reliability in vaccine-related information.
• The fact that THIP is privately funded and not affiliated with any political institution highlights its independence and integrity.

Initiatives includes:

• THIP conducts fact-checking activities to dispel misinformation surrounding vaccines.
• The THIP Care app simplifies individualized health and vaccine record-keeping for citizens of India.
• THIP BOT (RAKSHA): This chatbot serves as a valuable resource for citizens to cross-check any misinformation regarding vaccines. By leveraging artificial intelligence and natural language processing technologies, THIP BOT enables users to access accurate and reliable information in real-time.

Vaccine Safety Net (VSN)

• The VSN was established in 2003 through collaboration between various non-governmental organizations, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization.
• As the leading global health authority, the World Health Organization oversees the VSN, ensuring that its member websites adhere to strict standards of accuracy and reliability.
• The primary objective of the VSN is to provide scientifically based information on vaccine safety in multiple languages.
• With 110 websites from 45 countries offering information in 43 languages, the VSN represents a diverse and comprehensive network of organizations committed to vaccine safety.