Rawlings endorses Ebola campaign

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has endorsed Ebola educational campaign initiated by Dalex Finance and Leasing Company Limited, one of the leading non-bank financial institutions in the country.

The campaign involves the distribution of five million flyers Ebola Educational materials including posters, leaflets to churches, filling stations, schools, restaurants, mosque, markets and other public places.

“We aim to put such public information leaflets in the hands of Ghanaians. We have also embarked on a nationwide poster pasting programme,” Dalex said in a statement issued by Mr Kenneth Kwamina Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, on Monday and copied to Ghana News Agency in Accra.

Although the statement did not elaborate the role the former president would be playing it said efforts to prevent local infections must be stepped up.

It is for these reasons that Dalex Finance, working with other private sector bodies, Ghana Health Service and UNICEF, launched the BFT Ebola Education Fund to raise one million Ghana Cedis for the purpose of public education about Ebola.

The statement said Dalex Financing had already distributed some of the public information materials in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale as well as to the Ghana Health Service, the Prisons Service and the Ghana Army.

The statement said in many public health crises, Ebola's greatest ally is ignorance. “It is the same ignorance that aided the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

“As many who work in the sector will tell you, public education is often the key factor that determines whether a disease can be controlled, reduced and possibly eliminated or leaves widespread devastation in its grisly wake. Ebola is no different.”

According to the statement, the nature of the disease means that information about it must be readily available, easily accessible and properly understood.

“The manner in which it is spread makes it imperative for people to take the necessary precautions to forestall infections in large numbers. The speed with which the disease ravages its victims and the communities, in which they live, makes it a battle that must be fought by all, even those who are not – at the moment – directly at risk.”

The statement said to fully appreciate the effects of Ebola, “think not only of the cost to business, but of the family reunions that have been put on hold because travellers are canceling flights.

“Think of the school re-openings that were delayed and in some cases, put off; think of the orphans whose futures are now in even more doubt, not least because the very ignorance that we need to fight, has led people to ostracise them after their parents have died.

“Think of the effect on foreign direct investment, ‘bans’ on public gatherings, the effects of a reduction in food production as our farmers become too ill to farm, the consequences of very little movement of people, goods and services.

“It would mean deep cuts in productivity, to the little that is allowed by the energy crisis. It would mean slower growth and job losses. It is estimated that the disease could cost West Africa a few billion dollars.”

The statement said through the fund, Dalex seeks to leverage the efforts and contributions of corporate Ghana and public- spirited individuals to provide information to the public through a variety of channels and media.

“We hope to do a lot more, information vans, radio jingles in local languages, TV infomercials, SMS, construction of isolation centres,” the statement said.