Coronavirus: Bono Region Intensifies Public Education

Municipal and District Assemblies in the Bono region have been tasked to set up public sensitization teams under the overall guidance of the Public Health Emergency Committee (PHEC) to undertake public health education on COVID-19 in all places within their jurisdiction.

This will take place at the market places, lorry parks and other public places using mobile vans, gong-gongs and any other means.

The Regional Minister, Mrs Evelyn Ama Kumi-Richardson, who issued the directive in Sunyani said the teams are to be led by staff of the Information Services Department and should include staff of Environmental Health, Health directorate, Social welfare, NADMO and Youth Employment Agency, among others.

She was addressing the media after visiting the Regional Hospital in Sunyani to ascertain the facility’s preparedness to properly contain any suspected or confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection which has taken the world by storm, with about 220,206 recorded cases while approximately 8,982 people have been killed as a result.

The Minister and her entourage were taken round the hospital by the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Emmanuel Kofi Amponsah.

Be proactive

The Minister further tasked Municipal District Chief Executives in the region to negotiate for free airtime on FM radio stations in their respective districts to broadcast messages and educate public on preventive measures.

She also asked the Assemblies to “enforce bye laws on food safety, environmental sanitation, hygiene, and also on entertainment and outdoor activities” and further ensure “the availability of hand washing facilities with running water and hand sanitizers at vantage points in markets, and all such public places.”

“Since the President’s Address, Public education in the Region has been intensified and most of our citizens have adhered to the advisories and must be commended for their roles in ensuring the prevention of the outbreak of the pandemic”, she added.

Surveillance

As part of steps to effectively monitor the situation on the ground, some surveillance steps, all District Directors of Health are to provide daily reports on the COVID-19 situation on case detection and other preparedness and response measures to the Regional Disease Surveillance Unit.

“The ports of entry at Sampa (Jaman North), Kofibadukrom and Gonorkrom (Dormaa Municipal) are to provide daily reports of passengers entering from Cote D’Ivoire. No passenger has met the definition for a suspected case since the daily reporting started on the 1st March 2020.”

“One suspected case was detected in Berekum on the 9th March 2020, but results of laboratory tests received after 6 hours on the 10th March were negative”, she said.

“Case definitions have been circulated to all Districts and Health facilities in the three regions and will have to be printed and pasted at vantage points in all health facilities (private and public).”

“In collaboration with the Pharmacy Council, case definitions are to be made available to all chemical shops and pharmacies”

The Minister said two numbers (0503612439 and 0596185902) have been given out alongside the national numbers and the risk communication team is to help circulate the numbers to the public, adding that the hotline telephones will be handled by the Regional Surveillance Officers, Daniel Konka and David Obeng Poku.

Case Management/Infection Prevention

The Minister announced that hospitals at Sampa, Drobo, Berekum, Kintampo, Techiman, Yeji, Goaso, and Sunyani Regional Hospital have been designated as basic treatment centres for clients needing admission.

Besides, six ambulances have been positioned at strategic locations in the Bono East, Bono and Ahafo regions to transport any patient requiring hospitalization.

“We are therefore strongly requesting all our citizens and the people of the Bono Region to strictly adhere to the Advisories issued by His Excellency the President, in our resolve to curb the tide of future infections and outbreak.”