NGO sensitizes Nigerians, donates items to curb COVID-19

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

A frontline Nigeria-based non-governmental organisation, NGO, the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), has embarked on a massive sensitization campaign to support Government’s efforts in preventing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in parts of Nigeria, Abuja FCT and Delta State in particular.
The National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Mulade Sheriff who led the sensitization exercise in Abuja, said the NGO carried out the activities to complement Government’s efforts at all levels to educate and enlighten Nigerians on the need for stringent measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Speaking on Wednesday, he said the Warri Office of CEPEJ visited communities, health centers and market places to educate the people on the importance of personal hygiene, social distancing and proper medical care, especially if they have symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.
The NGO’s medical team advised communities to always obey directives from the Government, Ministries of Health and Information, as well as the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), to prevent the spread of the killer virus, through regular washing of hands for at least twenty seconds with soap and running water, cough and sneeze into tissue papers or on their sleeves.
They were also advised to always clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and used objects, and avoid handshakes, hugging, touching of eyes, nose or mouth for now.
On social distancing and symptoms of sickness, the NGO told the people to avoid crowded places or large gatherings, keep a distance of two meters with anyone sneezing or coughing, limit contact with sick people, stay at home or seek medical assistance when sick, and avoid self-medication.
CEPEJ also distributed hand washing buckets, soap, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, hand gloves, nose masks and instruction guides on good hygiene, while sensitizing them on the best practices that would protect them, their families and their communities from contracting and spreading the pandemic in Delta State and Nigeria in general.
The places visited by the Warri Office of CEPEJ were Osubi community market and its Health Centre, as well as Ugulo community, all in Okpe LGA of Delta State. The people expressed their gratitude to the NGO for showing concern for the health of the two Okpe communities.