A Child-centered Development and Humanitarian Organization, Plan International Ghana has initiated measures to enhance public education on the Covid-19 to help curb spread to vulnerable communities.
Ghana has recorded two fatalities in Covid-19 scourge whilst Health authorities have confirmed three new infections bringing the total number to twenty-seven (27) as of March 23, 2020.
Ghana recorded the first case of coronavirus in March 13, 2020.
Apart from distributing educational materials on Covid-19 to its beneficiary communities, it is also providing safe water to encourage regular hand washing.
The NGO has already empowered its field officers to use the materials embark on public education in communities they operate.
A visit to Ve-Wudome, one of the beneficiary communities in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region saw posters containing information on Coronavirus pasted on Walls in the community.
A Community Development Facilitator for the NGO, Senafia Komla, was spotted educating children on the disease under a tree.
“As an organization, the health of children is a priority to us. So as investigations have revealed seven cases in Ghana, it is a priority to educate all children on the Dos and Don’ts so that they would be safe that is why I have taken the initiative to educate them on Covid-19 as Plan International Ghana has provided the materials”. Senafia Komla told mybrytfmonline.com.
For the Children, though aware of the outbreak of Covid-19, they were oblivious of the details of the causative agent and preventive measures.
“I know about Coronavirus because our Teachers told us school have been closed because of the disease but I did not know much about it until plan Ghana came to the community to educate us”-Attor Kwame a JHS one student told mybrytfmonline.com.
Dokli Delight a Class Five Pupil added “we have learned that Covid-19 started from China. It is caused by a virus that can be transmitted from one person to another. We are told more than 5000 people have died so we should protect ourselves through regular hand washing, cover our nose with tissue or handkerchief when sneezing, avoid getting closer to sick people with fever, cold and cough.”
Meanwhile, Plan International Ghana has commissioned a mechanized Community water Point to supply safe drinking water for the Ve -Wudome community which will also enhance hygiene.
The water Project is part of the Integrated Community Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (ICWASH) project funded by Coca Cola Foundation and being implemented by the NGO.
The $425,000 sponsored project is being implemented in eighteen 18 rural communities with eighteen thousand rural dwellers targeted to benefit in Eastern, Central, and Volta regions of Ghana.
The Project contains the construction and rehabilitation of 24 community water points, form and train local Water and Sanitation Management Teams (WSMTs) and engineers for the long-term management of the water points provide 54 hand washing stations in schools in the beneficiary communities.
The Project will also provide community sanitation and hygiene information to additional 22,000 people, support women’s leadership and savings groups and introduce SMS platform to improve Water System Sustainability.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
