A group under the aegis of Onuesoke Foundation has commenced awareness campaign for the prevention and eradication of COVID-19 pandemic with the free distribution of one hundred thousand face masks and sanitisers in Delta state rural communities.
Before now, Onuesoke Foundation has started the awareness campaign on COVID-19 by placing advertisement jingles on television and radio stations across Delta State, advising those in the rural communities to adhere strictly to the prevention guidelines of COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement signed by Project Coordinator of Onuesoke Foundation, Mr Steven Agadagba, made available to our correspondent, disclosed that in order to save lives the foundation has embarked on three weeks sensitization campaign aimed at increasing a high sense of aware among rural dwellers and to promote a clean, safe and healthy culture as a way of mitigating against the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
He stated that the awareness campaign and distribution of free face masks and sanitisers which took off from Udu local government area of Delta state on Wednesday, January 13th, 2021 will see them through rural communities in all the local government areas of Delta state.
Agadagba advised that all hands must be on deck to checkmate the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria, just as he advised the people to strictly adhere to the preventive guidelines of COVID-19 as instructed by the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) in order to curtail the spread of the dreaded pandemic.
He equally called on local authorities to do more in ensuring that rural dwellers comply with government directives with respect to prevention and contamination of COVID-19.
Agadagba lamented that from all indications, most rural communities have not fully come to terms with the dangers associated with social gathering as a quick and fast way of spreading the virus, stressing that this is very worrisome because it portends great danger if measures are not taken to checkmate this negative trend.
“To curtail the spread of the pandemic, we should clean our hands often by using soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. We should maintain a safe distance, wear face masks when physical distancing is not possible.
“Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Stay at home if you feel unwell or do not have anything important to do outside. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, seek medical attention,” Agadagba advised.
Onuesoke Foundation Coordinator who disclosed that COVID-19 exists and has killed many people across the globe, appealed to both federal and state governments in Nigeria to increase COVID-19 testing and quarantine centres across the country as a measure to curtail the rising spread of the pandemic.
He equally appealed to corporate organizations and well to do individual to provide funds for the establishing of both testing and quarantine centres for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, adding that not until there are enough testing and quarantine centres in the country the pandemic will still linger on.
He commended health workers, security operatives and journalists that are hardly mentioned and others on the frontline of the fight against coronavirus for a job well done.
He, however, advised that they should not relent in their effort in the fight against the scourge, adding that “more should be done in enlightening rural dwellers, especially in designated market places that COVID-19 is a killer disease and not like our everyday malaria fever that should be taken lightly
