By Chuks Onuoha
Abia State Intergovernmental Committee on COVID 19 has called on Abians to follow the guidelines of wearing face masks, washing of hands and using sanitizers as a way of preaching COVID 19 gospel until the state get to pandemic zero point.
The State Chairman of Intergovernmental Committee on COVID 19, Barr. Chris Ezem made this call while flagging off a five day sensitization campaign on the pandemic, organized by the state National Orientation Agency, NOA and UNICEF.
He spoke on the need to be cautious on the issue of COVID 19 as it is never over until it is over, adding that the isolation centers in the state are not yet empty, as patients still receive treatment therein.
Ezem disclosed that the state has opened another testing center in Aba, “which means that one can run the test anywhere, and the test is free ”.
He disclosed further that Countries that have taken COVID 19 fore granted have again started recording high number of cases , and that it is time for people to be cautious, by wearing face masks, robbing sanitizers and washing hands regularly.
He called on Abians to regularly check their status, stating that people should know that COVID 19 is still lurking somewhere around the corner.
He commend Abia state NOA, for their doggedness, commitment and sense of purpose, with respect to the fight against COVID 19 pandemic.
He said that their response, activities and actions speak no less of their importance at such a time as this, stressing that Abia NOA leadership has shown capacity, readiness, resourcefulness, commitment in this regards .
He thanked the state Director of NOA, Lady Ngozi Okechukwu for complementing the efforts of the state in the fight against COVID 19, adding that NOA did more than expected in the fight.
“your leadership took its advocacy brand to LGAs, Communities and no day passed without seeing a photograph of this state with one traditional ruler or one Community, and I must say that you took this fight with passion.
Earlier, the State Director of NOA, Lady Okechukwu told Ezem, who doubles as the Secretary to the state Government that because of the focus of UNICEF in providing humanitarian services, her agency has netted together three public Health Issues, COVID 19, ANC Attendance, and routine immunization in their five day campaign. She said that the presence of the SSG shows great understanding of working together in global partnership to achieve sustainable national development.
She explained that the agency’s support of the state Government enabled them penetrate the nooks and crannies of the state to effectively talk to the people on the dangers of this Health scourge.
“Our main goal is to communicate Government programmes and policies and to act as a feedback mechanism between the government and the people. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have broken every available barrier to make sure that we communicate timely information to the people, using the traditional and social media.”
She said that NOA HAS paid advocacy visits to traditional institutions, religious institutions, school monitoring to ensure that the protocol and guidelines are adhered to , as well as engage communities in the market places and motor parks to communicate the risks that are involved .
This is not a time citizens are supposed to be complacent in taking responsibility, it is a time for us to be sure that the protocols are followed .Through today’s activities, it is expected that there will be adherence to the protocols and guidelines provided by NCDC, to the extent that 80 % of the citizenry should be aware of the protocol and adhere to it.
She expressed confident that NOA , Abia state can carry the five day extensive mobile messaging campaign to all the 17 Local Governments in Abia state.
She hinted that NOA will resonate the WAI brigade in Abia state to instill discipline within the school system, during clean up excises and the monitoring of the forth coming LGA elections. END
