WhatsApp Messaging & Data Privacy Policy

This Policy applies specifically to messages sent or received through the WhatsApp number(s) operated by or on behalf of DIGISWASTHYA FOUNDATION for patient communication. It covers messages sent through our official WhatsApp Business number, including those delivered via WhatsApp Business Solution Providers (BSPs) and Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform infrastructure.

We use WhatsApp, where You have opted in, to:

• Send appointment confirmations, reschedule notices, and visit reminders;
• Send medication and follow-up care reminders;
• Share prescriptions issued by Our Health Care Professionals;
• Provide You a secure link or reference to access Your personal health records held by Us;
• Respond to queries You send Us on WhatsApp, including health-related questions; and
• Share general health camp, outreach, or service announcements relevant to You.

We will only send You reminders, prescriptions, or health record access messages on WhatsApp after You have given Your explicit opt-in consent — whether at the time of registration, during a visit to one of Our centres, verbally to Our staff, or by messaging Us first on WhatsApp. We do not add phone numbers to WhatsApp messaging without this consent.

Where You message Us first on WhatsApp with a health query, We treat this as consent to respond to You on the same channel for that conversation.

Depending on the purpose of the message, information exchanged over WhatsApp may include:

• Your name;
• Appointment date, time, and centre/location details;
• Medication names, dosage, and prescription details issued by Your Health Care Professional;
• A link or reference number to retrieve Your health records securely; and
• Details of any health query You choose to share with Us over WhatsApp.

We share only the minimum information necessary for the specific purpose of each message and avoid sending highly sensitive health details over WhatsApp where a secure, authenticated channel (such as a patient portal link) is available instead.

You may withdraw Your consent to receive WhatsApp messages from Us at any time by replying "STOP" or "UNSUBSCRIBE" to any message, or by writing to Us at info@digiswasthya.org. Once You opt out, We will stop sending You reminders and other non-essential messages on WhatsApp, though We may still contact You through other means (such as phone or in person) for matters relating to Your ongoing care, unless You instruct Us otherwise.

WhatsApp is operated by Meta Platforms, Inc. and/or its affiliates ("Meta"). Messages sent through the WhatsApp Business Platform are transmitted using WhatsApp's infrastructure, and may also pass through a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider that We use to manage messaging. Meta and Our Solution Provider process this information as service providers acting on Our instructions, and their handling of Your information is additionally governed by Meta's own WhatsApp Privacy Policy and Business Terms of Service.

We do not permit Meta or Our Solution Provider to use Your health information for their own advertising or marketing purposes.

Messages sent over WhatsApp are protected by WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption in transit. Internally, access to the WhatsApp Business account and any linked patient data is restricted to authorised Our staff and representatives on a need-to-know basis, consistent with the security practices described in Our Privacy Policy.

We retain WhatsApp conversation records only as long as necessary to provide You care, respond to Your queries, and meet Our legal and record-keeping obligations, in line with the retention period described in Our general Privacy Policy. WhatsApp and/or Our Solution Provider may separately retain limited message metadata in accordance with their own policies.

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of information We hold about You, and withdraw Your consent to WhatsApp communications, by writing to Us at info@digiswasthya.org. These rights are in addition to those described in Clause 3 (Control Over Your Personal Information) of Our general Privacy Policy.

WhatsApp messaging is not monitored continuously and must not be used to report a medical emergency. If You or someone You know needs urgent medical attention, please call Our helpline at +91-83184-24800 or visit Your nearest hospital or emergency service immediately.

We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in how We use WhatsApp or changes required by Meta or applicable law. We will post the updated Policy on this page, and significant changes will be communicated to You through a prominent notice.

For any questions, concerns, or grievances regarding WhatsApp messaging or Your health information shared through this channel, please contact Our Grievance Officer at info@digiswasthya.org or call +91-83184-24800. We will make all reasonable efforts to resolve Your concerns in a timely manner.