Coronavirus Pandemic
AN NGO, Community Assistance and Relief (CARES) Foundation, on Thursday, sensitised market women and food vendors on food and personal hygiene as part of the preventive measures against the coronavirus pandemic in Kogi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Foundation distributed free packets of Maggi, face masks and also performed free voluntary COVID-19 test.
NAN reports that the programme was organised in collaboration with Maggi of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Kratos Integrated Concept Ltd, and supported by Kogi State Ministry of Health.
The Founder of the NGO, Mrs Bolanle Bola-Olorunsaiye, said that the gesture was to sensitise the market women, orphanage homes, people living with a disability, restaurant owners and food vendors on COVID-19 health protocols. The programme is tagged: ”COVID-19: You, Your Health and Business”.
She named the health protocols to include: handwashing with running water, use of hand sanitisers, face masks, social distancing, keeping indoors and maintaining good food, personal and environmental hygiene.
Bola-Olorunsaiye, who was a former Kogi Commissioner for Women Affairs, urged the participants to keep to safety and preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus and other infectious diseases.
She highlighted the Foundation’s various intervention programmes, which had helped communities, women, children, youths, pupils, widows and the vulnerable in many areas.
”The interventions include provisions of two motorised boreholes and water wells for communities, scholarship for five students in higher institutions, youth and women empowerment and distribution of food items, among others.
A Guest Speaker, Mrs Ohunene Etudaiye, Kogi State Influencer for Maggi Nigeria Plc, enjoined participants to imbibe a hygienic lifestyle for healthy living, urging them to always maintain good hygiene in their homes and restaurants.
”Your cooking environment must be very clean. You must maintain personal hygiene; when you are clean you naturally attract people,” Etudaiye said.
Kogi Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Audu, who was represented by Dr Austin Ojotule, the State Epidemiologist, said women remained very important in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.
He, therefore, advised participants to keep to regular hand washing, maintain physical distancing and use of face masks, saying that ”if you are sick, stay at home”.
Other dignitaries at the event include: the Secretary to Kogi State Government, Dr Afolashade Ayoade; Kogi Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Fatima Buba; and Chairman, People Living with Disability, Mr Arome Ibrahim, among others. (NAN)
– Jun. 25, 2020 @ 16:35 GMT |
Tags: COVID-19: NGO sensitises women food vendors on hygiene
