NGO calls for lockdown to stop spread of coronavirus

Philip Foundation Programme, a non-governmental organization (NGO), committed to building the capacity of Women, Youth and Children, has called on government to ‘lockdown’ the country down for four weeks to prevent the mass influx of infected people with the coronavirus to other areas.

A lockdown is a situation in which people are not allowed to enter or leave a building or area freely because of an emergency.

The NGO said the nation’s health facilities are already constrained and government must quickly take steps to ensure that health professionals are not overwhelmed as a result of the surge in cases of the disease.

It said Ghana should not get to where countries like Italy and others are because the nation cannot deal with it.

Mr Boateng Mensah, Executive Director of Philip Foundation Programme, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the suggestion would help reduce the further spread of the coronavirus in the country.

He commended government and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the laudable initiatives made to arrest the further spread of the virus.

“In view of the outbreak of the deadly Covid-19 which has virtually brought global activities almost on its knees, there is the need for a timely and pragmatic approach to deal with the issue and to deal with it decisively,” he said.

Mr Mensah also urged the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to work with traditional medical practitioners, the Centre for Plant Medicine Research at Mampong, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Food and Drugs Authority and other relevant agencies to research into developing a home grown treatment.

This, he said, would ensure that coronavirus cases are expeditiously dealt to prevent local situations from reaching an alarming stage.

Mr Mensah called on politicians, social commentators and the public to ensure that information on the deadly virus are taken from health professionals and delivered accurately in order not to create confusion among the citizenry.

He urged the Ghana Health Service as a matter of agency to come up with adequate preventive educational materials including songs and drama (using animation) in different languages for the Information Service Department, radio stations including community information centers, TV stations and other social media channels as a way of disseminating information and educating the people Coronavirus prevention.

“We believe by working together as a people we will be able to overcome all ills associated with this virus,” he said.