Arewa Youth Trust Foundation (AYTF) on Saturday called on governments to heighten sensitisation on how to curtail the spread of COVID-19 especially at the grassroots.
Its Chairman, Dr Fahad Chikaji-Ahmed, made the call at a stakeholders’ meeting on how to curtail the pandemic and reduce its spread in Zaria.
According to him, the disease is at its peak and requires federal and state governments to partner with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in advocacy and sensitisation of citizens in their local dialect.
“We need to expand our sensitisation campaigns to communities and sub-city centres.
”Where we have people that are close to the city centres, jingles must be made clearly in order to send clear messages to the communities.
“We are NGOs, we are at the grassroots sand more closer to the people, as such, we can always advocate more on self-hygiene during and after COVID-19,” he said.
Chikaji-Ahmed advised government at all levels to use security agents to ensure strict adherence to lockdown orders and provide more testing centres to ensure increased testing of people.
He said that isolation centres should be well taken care of through the provision of medical supplies and food to patients, adding that delivery of palliatives to vulnerable groups should be monitored to avoid diversion of palliatives.
The chairman also urged government to encourage local herbs research and use them to tackle the pandemic.
He added that religious and traditional leaders should be engaged in sensitising people.
Chikaji-Ahmed said that orphanage homes should be safeguarded through the provision of sanitisers, clan water, and soap.
He also advised that persons with disabilities should be supported to prevent the further spread of the virus. (NAN)