Some members of the Sound Mind Project displaying placards along a popular street in Navrongo
The Sound Mind Project (SMP), a non-governmental organization in the Upper East Region that feeds, clothes and advocates for the well-being of mentally challenged persons, has turned its focus on a campaign to educate people about the deadly Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
It undertook the campaign to complement the efforts of the government and health agencies in providing the people with adequate information on ways to prevent contracting the virus.
The group, aside using mass media to engage the people, would also move into rural communities to debunk myths surrounding the disease and provide information to allay fear and panic among the people.
For its first day of the campaign, the group visited the Navrongo Township, where it strategically positioned along the streets and at market centers and educated the public about the deadly nature of the disease with the aid of placards.
The group members, most of whom are professional Nurses, took time to demonstrate the process of proper handwashing and the application of hand sanitizers.
They also answered questions from the public about the viral disease and how to stay safe.
Co-facilitator of the Sound Mind Project, Desmond Atogewe Kampoe, addressing GhanaWeb’s Senyalah Castro, in an interview after the exercise, said the group, have taken into consideration the threat of the disease to human lives and the impact it would have on the lives of rural folk who have very little knowledge about the disease saw the need to channel all the energy into disseminating information about the pandemic.
He added that the campaign was the group’s little contribution to ensured that people stayed safe with their families to minimize the impact of its possible havoc.
Mr. Kampoe said the dangerous nature of the disease required the commitment of all and there was, therefore, the need for everyone to do the little they could to help stop the spread of the virus.
“When the coronavirus broke out, we realized that we needed an all-hands-on-deck approach to fight it. So we all came together to see how best we can educate the people and ensure that everybody gets the information to be able to stay safe and to prevent it from spreading”.
He stated that as a measure to stem the spread, the group distributed one hundred pieces of nose masks to people who, by virtue of their jobs, may be prone to the viral infection.
Mr. Kampoe expressed satisfaction in the manner the people received their messages.
He, however, revealed that people had difficulties trusting the source of their nose masks.
“We are very satisfied with the reception to our messages. The people really liked the campaign and came to us to ask questions, but we had a little challenge and that had to do with people doubting the source of our nose masks. They said they heard some countries were producing fake nose masks which could endanger their lives”.
