Health workers in Akwa Ibom begin street, market awareness on COVID-19

Corps member donates sanitisers, face masks to Edo community 60 Rivers communities rejoice over palliatives from oil firm

As part of measures to check the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Akwa Ibom State, the Conglomerate of Health Professionals in the state has commenced street and market sensitisation.

The group is made up of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists Of Nigeria (AMLSN).

Addressing newsmen in Uyo yesterday on behalf of the health workers, the state chairman of NMA, Dr. Nsikak Nyoyoko, said that they were poised to embark on the sensitisation as COVID-19 cases in the state keep rising.

To avoid community spread of the pandemic, there is need to create awareness on the mode of transmission and precautionary measures to the people at the grassroots, he added.

According to him, the sensitisation train will berth at Eket Council and move to Ikot Ekpene on May 30, concluding at Oron on May 31. Similarly, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member posted to Ikpoba Okha Council of Edo State, Clinghton Ojo-Edokpayi, has donated 500 hand sanitisers and facemasks to the council.

Presenting the items to the council chairman, Dr. Eric Osayande, represented by Osagie Ogbinomwanhia, at the council’s secretariat in Idogbo, Ojo-Edokpayi said he decided to use the council as a channel to reach those at the grassroots.

He added that the people at the grassroots were sometimes forgotten in the scheme of things, hence the need to decentralise distribution of available relief materials to reach the rural communities.

“Before passing out, I decided to make hand sanitisers and face masks for the people of Ikpoba Okha, because I feel that a lot of people have been disensitised by the rumour that COVID-19 no longer exists, while it is actually spreading.”

Meanwhile, residents of Degema, Asari Toru, Akuku Toru, Bonny and Okrika councils of Rivers State were excited yesterday after receiving palliatives from an indigenous oil firm, Eroton Exploration and Production Company Limited, in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The residents of over 60 communities said the gesture would ease the sufferings occasioned by COVID-19. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, youths and senior citizens are expected to benefit from the largesse.

The items distributed include bags of rice, cartons of noodles, tomato paste and vegetable oil. Representatives of the communities, while receiving the donations in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor councils, expressed appreciation to the donors.

While presenting the gifts, the Operations Manager of Eroton, Emmanuel Thompson, said the company’s move was informed by the need to cushion the hardship occasioned by COVID-19 in the communities.