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Grand Cape Mount: Seeking Support To Fight COVID-19
Resident of Kinjor Town of Gola Konneh District, where the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was recorded, are calling on the Government to supply their community with anti-coronavirus materials to enable them prevent the spread of the virus.
They are requesting hand-washing buckets, disinfectants, nose masks and other materials to enhance the community fight against the pandemic.
Adolphus Nyuma, a community health volunteer, said since the county recorded its confirmed case there has been no support from NGOs or government to buttress the community’s response including creating public awareness about the pandemic.
Nyuma claimed that health workers in the community are without gloves, adding “To even go and check on those that are quarantined is not easy because we don’t have gloves and nose masks”.
Meanwhile, several marketers have complained that since Kinjor, a community within the mining concession of Bea Mountain Mining Company, was lock down by the company as a means of preventing the spread of the virus, economic activities have been stagnant, thereby causing hardship for them.
Many marketers in the area rely on customers from the concession area but with a lock down in place, they are struggling to keep their businesses afloat.
“We even want to leave and go back in town because life is not easy especially the people that can buy our market are now living in fence,” said one marketer.
Margibi County: Enhancing Media Collaboration
The county health team has begun seeking partnership with community Radio stations in the county to tackle growing rumors and misinformation about COVID-19 – a situation that seems to be undermining the response efforts against the pandemic.
James Varnie, the Community Health Department Director of the CHT, urged journalist to cross check information from the county health team before reporting, while stressing the importance of avoiding stigmatization of people infected or suspected of the virus.
Varnie said to further strengthen the partnership, the county is expected to hold a one-day risk communication training for journalists in the county.
Margibi County has the second highest rate of infections in the country so far with 45 confirmed cases, according to the National Public Health Institute of Liberia.
Grand Gedeh County: Promoting Mask Wearing
Liberia’s Internal Affairs Minister Verney A. Sirleaf has called on people of Grand Gedeh County to abide by all health protocols, adding that wearing of nose mask, constant hands washing, and social distancing will prevent the spread of the COVID-19.
So far, Grand Gedeh Count has not recorded any confirmed case and Minister Sirleaf hailed the local authorities for holding on.
He added that it takes patriotism, collaboration, and commitment for people to sustain the fight against the pandemic despite limited support from national government.
He disclosed that the county stands to benefit from one million nose masks that will be funded by the government and distributed among marketers, motorcyclists, students, and teachers.
He said the production of the nose masks will be decentralized with the local tailor union, under the supervision of county superintendent, leading the production.
Gbarpolu County: Committed Volunteers
The head of programs and national social development of the Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS), Christopher O. Johnson has assured the organization’s continued support to volunteers working in the county.
Johnson reaffirmed the social commitment to the volunteers during an assessment visit to Bopolu City on June 27.
“We are here to add more value to what you are doing. We are thinking beyond this virus, ” he told volunteers in Bopolu City after an assessment tour.
Briefing Johnson and his team, the county field officer of Red Cross, Seth Toweh, disclosed that despite the absence of support to the Red Cross chapter in the county, volunteers are still working on the county health team.
“Even though we have not got former training, but we (volunteers) are doing awareness on the COVID-19,” Toweh said. “The volunteers even help in the distribution of the 50 hand washing buckets the chapter received from the national office.”
Toweh is, however, hopeful that the chapter will get some support to continue awareness about COVID-19 in the county.
Bong County: ‘Collaboration and Cooperation’
A meeting attended by Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah and Bong County Superintendent Esther Y. Walker on Monday, June 29 in Gbarnga City highlighted the importance of collaboration and cooperation in adhering to all COVID-19 preventive measures by people of the county.
Officials of the Joint Security, the county’s motorcyclist union, the marketing association, and the Gbarnga City Corporation also attended the meeting which aimed to find a way toward curtailing the spread of COVID-19 in the county.
After the meeting, Superintendent Walker said stakeholders have agreed to take some serious measure in the fight against the coronavirus.
She said, “We all agreed that businesses should open 6 Am and closed 5 Pm that include, entertainment centers, bars, restaurants, video clubs, marketplaces and among others. And citizens in these areas have been advised to wear nose mask.”
Also, the Health Minister assured people of the county of the government’s continued support to augmenting the struggling health sector, while calling on the public abide by the health protocols.