|
Listen Now
|
Zanetor Rawlings, Medical Doctor and Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle , says
government ‘has not done enough’ to ensure the safety and security of the
market traders as well those who visit them following the outbreak of the novel
Coronavirus in Ghana.
According to her, the markets and transportation
network are crucial to maintaining our food supply as a nation adding that the
Akufo-Addo-led administration has not prioritized the markets in the rationale
behind the Restrictions Bill laid out and given accent to.
Speaking during a media encounter by the
National Democratic Congress’ COVID-19 Technical Team, Zanetor Rawlings said:
“The markets and transportation network are crucial to maintaining our food
supply as a nation and this was the rationale behind the omission of the
markets and commercial drivers from the restrictions bill laid out by the
President.”
“Given this fact, not enough has been done to
ensure the safety and security of the market traders as well as those who visit
them. Their protection should have been a top priority in anticipation of and
subsequent to the imposition of the Restrictions Bill.”
She added that the main preventative measures
against the spread of the virus such as hand washing and social distancing are
very difficult to adhere to given our densely populated communities.
“Our markets and our public spaces and the
intermittent access and in some cases the lack of access to water. The
successful end to this crisis will require the involvement of the government in
engaging the citizenry including civil society and the security apparatus to
support efforts within the community,” Zanetor Rawlings said.
“There must be community ownership and
organizing in executing the response interventions in order to break the cycle
of transmission and infection through sustained behavior modification at all
levels,” she added.
She advised that the various assemblies must, as
a matter of urgency, provide ‘Veronica buckets, soaps and disinfectants for all
markets across the country to reduce the risk of exposure and risk of
transmission of the virus.
“This must be coupled with an educational drive
by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and health directorates
at the district level,” she added.
Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama
has said that the opposition NDC has submitted a proposal of a national action
plan on combating the novel coronavirus to the Speaker of Parliament.
Speaking at a service to end three days of
prayer and fasting declared by the NDC, John Mahama indicated that as evidence
of their commitment to assisting government in the fight against the pandemic,
a technical team has been put together to spearhead the affairs of the national
action plan.
Some members of the technical team include; Nana
Kofi Quakyi, Assistant Professor in Public Health/Specialist in Health
Economics, Dr. Jehu Appiah: Senior Medical Consultant and former General
Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr. Zanetor Rawlings, Medical
Doctor, Alex Segbefia, Former Minister of Health, among others.
