Covid-19: awareness and social distance observance in Bimbila township (31st March, 2020)

Fusheini Iddrisu, SEND FiNGO, Bimbila

By: Fusheini Iddrisu, Eastern Corridor, SEND GHANA

AWARENESS:  Residents are largely aware of the global pandemic due to public education and sensitization through local, regional and national media outlets such as Sagani, NTV, GTV, and TV3 as well as government agencies like Ghana Health Service (GHS), Information Service Department among others. The municipal assembly has also made efforts in proving Veronica buckets at vantage points to make it possible for people to practice hand washing with soap under running water.

Below are some pictures:

 Veronica bucket with a bar of soap at one of the vantage points |Photo: Fusheini, Eastern Corridor, SEND GHANA

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES AND SOCIAL GATHERING: Congregational prayers for Muslims as well as Church services in the municipality are currently on indefinite suspension. Joint military and police patrol team are also on their feet to ensure that social gatherings such as wedding, funeral and naming ceremonies are within the stipulated number of less than 25 people.

SOCIAL DISTANCING:  Social distancing remains a key challenge for residents. Even though, they are fully aware of the mode of spread of the virus, they feel reluctant in observing the social distancing protocol at the market centers and food joints. “We all congregate at the market center to either buy or sell and there is no way you can do this without mingling with other market participants,” a trader said.

A Cross section of women at the market centre |Photo: Fusheini, Eastern Corridor, SEND GHANA

People in queue at a food joint Photo: Fusheini, Eastern Corridor, SEND GHANA

FARMING ACTIVITIES: Farmers in the municipality go about their activities as usual. The farmers stated that the virus has no direct   negative effect on their activities as it stands now or in the short period. However, they fear in the long run, the partial lockdown or a potential complete lockdown (as cases are being recorded in Tamale) will have devastating effect on the prices of farm produce and agric inputs.