Wangul Samuel, Agriculture and Advocacy Field officer, 4R NSP Project, SEND GHANA

By: Wangul Samuel, Agriculture and Advocacy Field officer, 4R NSP Project, SEND GHANA

Monitoring visits to Sakpe, Binda, and Nakpayili as of 31^st March 2020 reveal that:

1. Information gathered from all the communities showed that at least every community has appreciable information about the Coronavirus. The major source of information to the communities included whatsApp messages, the local television (Sagani TV) and Radio stations and the use of information van by the District Health Directorate.
2. The District Assembly has also provided veronica buckets to Departments and placed some at vantage points in the market places for citizenry to have access to clean running water for hand washing.
3. Muslims and Christians have put on hold congregational prayers. In the case of Muslims, prayers are called to alert members of prayer times, but individuals observe them at their various homes.
4. Although the impact of these directives has not affected businesses much, the number of people who usually attend market from communities have reduced significantly. Community people are advised to only go to town and market if they have to access an essential service.
5. All precautionary measures are being followed by the community people to prevent the spread of the virus. Among the protocols, community people mentioned included;
   • Ban on all forms of funeral in the district capital and in the communities. In the case of death, not more than twenty-five (25) persons are allowed to witness the burial of the deceased. For instance, in the Kotoya community, a young man died and only about 20 people were allowed to witness the burial of the deceased at the cemetery.
   • No form of entertainment programs allowed.
   • No hand shaking.
6. Nurses in Nakpayili CHPS compound have stopped attending to clients because they lack PPEs in the facility. Community members who get ill resort to self-medication which could lead to other health complications. They are therefore calling on government and philanthropic support to avert the possible consequences.
7. Communities engaged in Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) practice social distancing and have also acquired hand sanitizers for use in meetings.
8. There are limited hand sanitizers at the rural areas for people who even have money to acquire.
9. Some communities have also started quarantining people who have travelled back from Accra for at least 14 days.
10. In all the communities, farming activities are not affected as people continue with their normal day to day farming. They also believe farms are safer compared to homes and the market places.

Small scale gari processors |Photo: Samuel

Kids practicing hand-washing |Photo: Samuel