A campaign has begun to present personal protective equipment (PPE) to Self-Help Groups of Persons with Mental Illness and Epilepsy (SHG), and Traditional Healers to enable them to practice personal hygiene and stay safe from COVID-19 in their homes and at meetings.
The campaign will run as long as the COVID-19 pandemic persists, and it also includes on-air and on-site awareness creation on the measures announced by the government to manage the pandemic.
Under the campaign, a total of 320 SHGs and Traditional Healers across the country will receive the PPE, which includes veronica buckets, tissue papers, water basins, soap, hand sanitisers, and dust bins.
BasicNeeds-Ghana, a renowned mental health, and development advocacy organisation, initiated the campaign as its COVID-19 response programme to help fight the disease, which is supported by donors including Dignity Danish Institute Against Torture.
As part of the campaign, officers of BasicNeeds-Ghana have been deployed to present the PPE to the beneficiary groups across the country.
Mr Hannan Tizaa Legend, a Project Officer at BasicNeeds-Ghana, who handed over the PPE to some of the beneficiary groups in the Zabzugu, Sagnarigu, and Tamale Assemblies, advised them to ignore innumerable fake claims about the disease.
He said “COVID-19 is real and near to us than we think. It is better to stay safe from a beast than to struggle for freedom from it. Prevention is better than cure.”
Madam Kubura Tuferu, a Representative of Gub-katimala Self-Help Group at Zabzugu, who received the items on behalf of the group, expressed their profound gratitude to BasicNeeds-Ghana and its donors for prioritising their health needs in this period of the pandemic.
Madam Tuferu said “We have been watching this on TV in fear and helplessness. Our only prevention has been prayer and now these items have come in handy. Your leader, Mr Peter Yaro, is very thoughtful and proactive. May he live long to do more for humanity.”
Mr Tingbaki Taaturi, a Traditional Healer at Mogneigu at the Zabzugu District, who also received the items, said the gesture was remarkable for him and his clients because health officials had been encouraging them to take measures aimed at preventing the spread of the disease in their facilities.
