Vetsark, a provider of digital solutions for Agriculture and health systems has donated hygiene and items for personal protection to some residents of Ajegunle Community in Lagos state, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, to help Lagos state combat COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a statement by the company, the donated items, which included facemasks, hand gloves and soaps, were handed out over about 8 weeks. They targeted mostly underprivileged people such as local market women, police officers, medical staff and other essential workers who are the first responders on the frontline, providing care and treatment to people affected by the virus in Ajegunle community.
Mene Blessing, CEO of Vetsark described the company’s intervention in Ajegunle community as very timely because it is considered as the largest slum in Nigeria and one of the largest in Sub Sahara Africa. “Our goal was to increase awareness and prevention of COVID-19 among the over 500,000 residents in the area, and distribute 5,000 critical protective equipment to the most vulnerable people living in Ajegunle, over an 8 weeks period. We have no doubt that the protective equipment will play an important role in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the community and Lagos state as a whole”
In addition to providing protective equipment, Vetsark also sensitized the people of Ajegunle community on hygiene practices, keeping social distance, handwashing with soap and water as well as the do’s and don’ts of COVID-19.
“We sensitized the people of the community on various hygiene measures to protect them from COVID-19. Before our intervention, many people did not believe the pandemic was real,” said Mene. He also said the sensitization effort led to a change in behavior and attitude towards COVID-19, a claim described to be consistent with the company’s mission of “transforming Agriculture and health in Africa”.
Vetsark also used the intervention to call on stakeholders and good-hearted Nigerians to join in supporting the efforts of the government towards combating the COVID 19 Pandemic.
