Kumasi Central Market women commit Coronavirus into God’s mighty hands

It appears traders at the Kumasi Central Market will have nothing to do with the various scientific definitions accorded the Novel COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak which has been classified a global pandemic.

To them, the solution can only lie in the mighty hands of God whom they believe has spared Ghana from dangerous disease outbreaks and is not willing to fail the country this time around.

Over a hundred and twenty thousand people have contracted the disease in six continents with more than four thousand three hundred deaths.

Ghana has allocated a hundred million dollars to step up its surveillance and prevention efforts as all its neighbouring countries have recorded confirmed cases.

One point of huge gathering that could serve as budding grounds for mass circulation of any present virus will be markets, like the Kumasi Central Market, which is one of the biggest in Sub Saharan Africa.

The market women, who, however, have varied and rather sanctimonious and religious outlooks on prevention, departed from the suggestions of scientists.

A dry fish and cassava seller Akua Nyarko who had a fairly average but distorted understanding of the disease told reporter Ivan Heathcote – Fumador, “when Ebola came it had its own destination and this time too we are praying to God to ensure that this disease does not cross into Ghana.”

“We heard it on the television that a disease is in China and we have been asked to start praying so it does not resurface in Ghana. We have even heard that if you sit in a car with someone and his sweat has contact with you, you can get it. Also, if people breathe or sneeze on you, you can get it. TV people say we should cover our mouth when we sneeze,” an onion and spices seller Mama Yaa explained confidently.

Some of the market women also pleaded with government to deploy the same kind of soldiers who displayed at the recent 6th March Ceremony to be vigilant in ensuring that no Chinese enters the country with the disease.

Another market woman who gave a rather deviated answer said she only knew that people sprayed themselves with the virus to come around to infect people. She also admitted to seeing Chinese wearing masks and being carried around in international News.

Meanwhile, as part of President Nana Akufo Addo’s promised 100-million-dollar emergency Coronavirus response fund, there will be massive public sensitization campaigns likely to reach the locals in the markets.