Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID), a non-governmental organisation in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria, has embarked on aggressive sensitisation campaigns across Kogi State to create awareness on the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic currently ravaging parts of the world.
The Executive Director of PIBCID, Halima Oyiza Sadiq, while speaking during the campaign in Osara, Adavi local government area in the state, said that they were carrying out the campaign to create awareness and to tell the people the seriousness of this global pandemic which has claimed several lives across the globe, including Nigeria.
The sensitisation programme was carried out in 13 communities of Adavi and Igalamela local government Areas of the state.
Pictures of members of the communities showing social distancing during PIBCID/ Actionaid COVID-19 prevention awareness campaign were displayed.
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Sadiq also said they were able to educate the people on personal hygiene, the need for social distancing, and other preventive measures needed to contain the spread of the coronavirus as outlined by relevant agencies.
She also informed the people that coronavirus can be contacted but explained the steps that can be taken to prevent this, saying that posters had been provided in local dialects for easy understanding by the local communities.
She also disclosed that her choice of the local communities was as a result of the low awareness of this global pandemic in those areas when compared to what was obtainable in the cities.
“In Lokoja, the state capital, for instance, people are aware of this deadly virus, COVID-19. But on getting here, I noticed that people do not even know that such a disease exists and I was wondering if the people are with us. This is dangerous. So we decided to take the campaign to them so that they would not be taken unaware.
“It is worrisome that despite the measures put in place by the federal government, through the NCDC and the various state governments, the virus has continued to spread. That is why it is necessary to embark on aggressive sensitization and campaign to curtail further spread,” she said.
The communities visited during the campaign include Osisi, Osara, Osaragada, Aku and Atami in Adavi LGA and
Ugbedomagu, Apata, Ajodan, Ogboba, Ujagba, Ofuloko, Aya and Okpakpata communities all in Igalamela LGA.
