Google launches health cards for quick access to information for over 400 illnesses

New Delhi: Search engine giant Google on Tuesday launched new health cards in Knowledge Graph with which anyone in India searching for health information can now access it quickly and easily. [caption id=“attachment_2715098” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Agencies[/caption] Now when people ask Google about common health conditions, they will see information cards with typical symptoms as well as details on how common the condition is – whether it is critical, if it is contagious, what ages it affects and more. “Around the world, health conditions are among the most important things that people ask Google about. In fact, one in 20 searches are for health-related information,” Prem Ramaswami, senior product manager at Google, explained. Google worked with Apollo Hospitals and Columbia Asia Hospitals to review the content, and the health information covers over 400 health conditions including those common to India like malaria and dengue fever. “During product development we also consulted the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and ASHAs who are community health workers to ensure the information on the cards is useful and accessible,” Ramaswami said. The cards are available in Hindi and English and cover common local conditions. People will be able to see these new cards when they search for conditions with the Google app on Android or iOS phones and tablets as well as mobile and desktop browsers. These search results are not intended as medical advice but for informational purposes only, the company noted.