Coronavirus: NGOs lobby support from Global Fund

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Four Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on Wednesday called on the Global Fund to commit funding support in the fight against the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Global fund is an international financial partnership organization that aims to attract, leverage and invest additional resources to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to support attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN).

The NGOs – Global Media Foundation (GLOMeF), a human rights and media advocacy organisation, Global Coalition Against Infectious Diseases (GCAID), World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Business Coalition Ghana and Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (IWEN) further called on the private sector to invest in the global fight against the spread of the disease.

In a statement signed on behalf of the NGOs, by Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the National Coordinator of the WEA, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the “COVID-19 is not about you but about everybody” and concerted approach was required to contain it.

“The sternness of COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the global health systems, economies, disruption of lives, especially in Europe, America and China are very worrying,” it stated.

The statement therefore underscored the need to ensure that targeted responses put in place in the fight against COVID-19 were well known to all to enable civil society actors and NGOs to be part and lead the fight against the spread of the disease.

It also called on world leaders to ensure that their population adhere strictly to and comply with World Health Organization’s declaration of COVID-19 as an Emergency Health situation and take preventive measures serious.

“We urged Ghanaians to comply with precautionary measures and health experts’ advice as well,” the statement added.

It said the NGOs intended to launch US$200,000 on-line fund raising campaign to raise funds to support the fight of the COVID-19 in the country.

The statement implored other NGOs, CSOs and civil society actors to intensify education campaign on the COVID-19 in the rural areas to protect rural dwellers.