NGO calls for greater partnership in fighting Ebola

Reverend Edmund Nikoi, Director of Protocol and Media Relations, Magnet Advertising and Marketing Consultancy Limited, said the solution to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) demanded greater partnership and immediate response from Africans.

He said lack of collaborative efforts and harmony as well as coherent preventive campaigns to change public attitudes in the spread of the EVD amongst Africans, with Ghana not being an exception, were huge lapses to progress.

‘Ignorance, negligence, unnecessary traditions, religious and cultural norms, and art of omission and commission on the part of Africans are among the major key problems hindering Africa to reach the goals of preventing the EVD epidemic,’ he said.

Reverend Nikoi made the remarks during an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday.

He, however, added that lack of clearer global understanding on the part of the World Health Organisation and insight into what it would really take to curtail the EVD were a set-back to the response in Africa.

Reverend Nikoi said owing to all those set-backs, the Magnet Advertising and Marketing Consultancy Limited (MAMCL) was set to embark on a coherent and an intensive Ebola preventive education campaign that would help change public attitudes and the spread of the EVD.

He said the MAMCL, as part of measures to achieve its target, would design an integrated global and local campaign concept for Ebola prevention that could change public attitudes to follow guidelines and co-operate harmoniously with health workers.

He said the MAMCL would develop a robust Ebola troubleshooting and preventive antidote; stringent preventive guidelines and prudent regulations that would work in any part of Africa.

“Magnet will see to the enforcement of guidelines, orientation and training programmes that will ensure resolute commitment of all key actors in Africa, bearing in mind the cultural norm,” he said.

Reverend Nikoi said MAMCL also aimed at bringing a new dimension of innovative and ground breaking ideas that would make an awesome difference but was quick to add that the aim could only be achieved when greater global collaboration and unwavering support of all key actors were met.

He, therefore, called on Ghanaians and the world at large to come together to eradicate Ebola effectively.