2,000 volunteers to be deployed for coronavirus campaign, support isolation centres

Two thousand young Ghanaian volunteers are to be deployed across the country, particularly to the remote areas, to assist in the government’s campaign against the deadly novel coronavirus which has affected over a million people globally.

Chief Executive of the National Youth Authority Sylvester Tetteh who revealed this on Thursday said these volunteers will move into the communities with 500 megaphones with pre-recorded messages.

“We are in touch with the Ministry of Information for approved message that should go to the people and we are putting out 500 megaphones that will be used by these volunteers,” he stated.

Also, he said the volunteers have expressed their readiness to assist the various isolation centres across the country in whichever way necessary.

“Our volunteers are ready to support the isolation centres that are earmarked for the country,” he stated.

The Authority, he said, has donated personal protective equipment worth 700, 000 to Ministry of Health as part of their support to the fight against the virus.

Mr Tetteh explained the decision stems from the fact that the young people are the hardest hit by the virus which was first found in the country on March 12.



Data from the Ghana Health Service show that almost 80 per cent of the people who have contracted the coronavirus in the country are between the ages of 35 to 44, followed closely by those between 15 and 24.

The CEO also indicated that the Authority has already initiated a baseline study online to establish how the global pandemic is affecting young people in Ghana, particularly how it is impacting on their jobs and health.

The study, he explained, will help them the young people who are hard hit by the virus enable the Authority “make informed position on the matter of young people to government for redress”.

Meanwhile, he said the Authority will put together various skill training and other programmes for the youth after the coronavirus has crisis is over.

Ghana has within the last f48 hours made some gains in its fight as only five new infections have been recorded, bringing the national tally to 641 cases.

A significant 83 of them who were diagnosed of the virus have so far been cleared as “clinically cured” with just eight deaths as at April 16.