Eneji Simon Ushie|17 April 2020
Different communities require different approaches for information dissemination and policy adoption for the benefit of its people, whether for welfare, disease outbreak or for exploration of innovations.
Bakassi like most riverine and border communities is not new to disease outbreaks like cholera, malaria and other communicable diseases but recently, there is a new stint of virus, the Covid-19 with over 400 cases in the country and double its figure in neighboring Cameron hence the need to create conscious awareness in the minds of the people .
It is on this premise that the Cross River State Government through the Primary Healthcare Development Agency gathered its staff in Bakassi LGA to sensitize them on the novel Coronavirus and also engaged community leaders and groups in a house-to-house visit to sensitize them on the recent outbreak and measures put in place by the state government to curtail its spread.
The Director General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong while addressing the staff, community leaders and members of the community at various occasions, noted that the peculiarity of Bakassi with regards to its natural resources, commerce and geography places the area at a disadvantaged curve, hence there is need for an all round surveillance from both the health workers, security and members of the community to check the spread of the virus.
Dr Janet Ekpenyong further said that the motivation to move from community to communities to sensitize people is drawn from the effort and commitments of His Excellency, Senator Professor Ben Ayade in fighting the pandemic with various innovative approaches aimed at preventing the spread of the virus from other states/country to Cross River State through any of our borders, a model now adopted nationally.
"All our land borders are on shut down, entry into Cross River State from from Akwa Ibom through Odukpani is blocked, entry into Cross River State from Cameroon using the water ways as an alternative is blocked as well, the figures from Cameron is overwhelming and that is why His Excellency, Senator Professor Ben Ayade in his wisdom and proactive nature decided to shut down all entry points into the state so as not to expose our people to the dangers of covid19.
"We just left the clan head's palace here in Ikang where we came to sensitize him on the dangers of covid19, and see how he too can lend his voice to collectively fight covid19 in Cross River State, he has given us his support to collaborate with the government in spreading the awareness to every members of his community, to ensure that Bakassi remains Covid-19 free, and you know the peculiarity of Bakassi because they are very close to Cameroon and before now, these communities interface for business purposes with the majority of the sea food being gotten from here, with this support, our health workers along with the local media will move from places to places educating people on the dangers and possible ways of managing the epidemic".
Responding, the Clan head of Ikang,
Who appreciated the effort of the government, thanked the DG and her team for the visit, disclosed that he is willing to assist all relevant authorities to ensure strict compliance with all measures aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.
The visit also had the DG distribute various personal protective equipment to the clan head and other members of the community.
