Monrovia – Two of Liberia’s emergency agencies have embarked on efforts to contain the Coronavirus pandemic in the country by conducting awareness on the prevention of the virus and the donation of sanitary materials.
The National Disaster Management Agency and the Liberia National Red Cross Society maintained that instead of waiting for the crisis to move to the mitigation stage, prevention mechanisms must be highly practiced now.
For this reason, the two agencies intensified awareness on the prevention of COVID-19 in several communities across Montserrado County. They also distributed hundreds of handwashing buckets and sanitary material to some churches and communities.
Churches that received the materials include S.T Nagbe United Methodist Church, St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Chrida Faith Foundation and the Doe Estate Bernard Farm Community among others.
Augustine F. Tamba, Deputy Director for Operations of the NDMA, said the donation demonstrates the government’s way of identifying and ensuring that citizens are prevented from the Coronavirus.
“Government through President George Weah is working to ensure that Liberians work collectively to battling this virus that is affecting the world,” Tamba said
“Through collective efforts all of us can overcome this virus by observing all of the preventive measures like washing our hands, keeping a distance from each other’s, avoiding close contact and so on.”
Mr. Tamba urged community leaders and churches to ensure that residents, who are direct beneficiaries, use the items donated for its intended purpose.
He admonished beneficiary entities to give the items to those who are highly vulnerable to the virus but are unable to purchase hygienic materials.
At the same time, Tamba maintained: “President George Weah is encouraging every Liberian to uphold the preventive measures put into place by the Ministry of Health to prevent the coronavirus. It is serious and real, the virus is killing people in other countries.”
The NDMA Deputy Director for Operation promised that the distribution of the hygienic materials will be extended to other communities in rural Liberia.
One of the beneficiaries, the senior pastor of the ST. Nagbe United Methodist Church in Sinkor, Matthew Jaiah lauded the agency and its partner for coming to their aid.
Pastor Jaiah assured that the items will be distributed to members, especially those who cannot afford to buy them .
Rev. Jaiah said the church has already begun instituting preventive measures and that the additional materials received will beef-up their awareness plan.
At the same time, some residents of the Doe Estate Community in Bernard Farm expressed gratitude to the NDMA and partners for the donation and awareness on the prevention of the virus.
They then call on the NDMA and LNRCS to increase the donation, due to the vulnerability of their community to the virus.