North East Region NCCE completes phase one of coronavirus campaign

The North East Regional Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has completed its first phase of the awareness creation campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic for the month of June, in the region.

The campaign was to educate members of the public on the existence of the COVID-19, its management and preventive protocols outlined by the government and the World Health Organization (WHO).

It targeted individuals and groups at various locations across the region, including; lorry stations, youth groups, shops, markets, faith-based organisations, principal streets, security agencies, various communities, amongst others.

Mr Wilberforce Zangina, Acting North East Regional Director of the NCCE, said in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, the Information Services Department and the various Municipal and District Assemblies in the region, a total of 280 activities were carried out as part of the sensitization campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Touching on the preventive protocols, Mr Zangina explained to the people why it was necessary for them to strictly adhere to the protocols, saying, it would protect them from being infected by the virus and also help to mitigate its spread.

He encouraged them to wear face masks at public places, wash their hands frequently with soap under running water, observe social distancing at all times and sanitise their hands with alcohol-based rubs.

Mr Zangina further advised them to immediately seek medical attention when they were unwell, urging them to adopt hygienic lifestyles to help combat the virus in the country.

He implored citizens to avoid stigmatising COVID-19 patients, saying they should accept such individuals and offer the necessary support.

He, however, expressed worry over how some individuals held superstitious beliefs, myths and conspiracy theories about the existence of the virus, which he said led them to disregard the preventive protocols in the region.

He said "A chunk of rural folks hold superstitious beliefs that the virus does not exist and have decided not to adhere to the preventive measures put out by the government and other relevant stakeholders. This situation has had a negative impact on the fight against the disease in the region."

Mr Zangina, was, however, confident that the education his outfit had carried out would influence behavioural change among the people to help defeat the virus in the country.