Gbarnga, Bong County – Mixed reactions continue to trail the death of a 52-year-old resident of Sugar Hill Community in Gbarnga after authorities of the Bong County Health Team confirmed Thursday that he died of COVID-19 complications. The deceased passed at his residence on the morning of June 2, 2020 following a protracted illness, family told FrontPageAfrica.
Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
The county health officer, Dr. Adolphus Yeiah, told a media briefing Thursday that specimen of the deceased sent to the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) on June 2 came back positive on June 3rd. A total of eight contacts have been traced to the index case of COVID-19, according to Dr. Yeiah.
He said the contact began from Monrovia, where the deceased is believed to have contracted the virus. “We have eight persons identified contacts who are being followed up. Seven of those reside in Gbarnga and one is in Monrovia,” he said.
The death marks the first confirmed case of the virus in the county since its outbreak in the country four months ago.
Circumstances surrounding the confirmation of COVID-19 of the deceased seem not to have convinced many residents of Bong County that COVID-19 is real and in the county.
Rather they believe that COVID-19 pandemic is a scam, accusing government officials at county and NPHIL levels, of using it as means of enriching themselves while suffering the poor masses by imposing lockdown on them.
“Can you just show me anybody you’ve seen living with COVID-19 or families of those who died as a result of the virus? They (government and county officials) just keep announcing figures and they will never show you victims of this virus”, said one Sugar Hill resident, interviewed by FrontPageAfrica.
Isaac Smith, a Millionaire Quarter Community resident, who claimed to be a relative of the deceased told our reporter: “The person had been experiencing heart problems for the last four years and to say that he died of COVID-19 is the biggest joke I have ever heard in my life.”
“I think this is an attempt by the County Health Team to get donor funding.”
Seven out of 10 residents who were interviewed by our reporter, took the same position, saying “the confirmation from the County Health Team that the 52-year-old died of COVID–19 is a scam.”
This situation seems to cause the county health team much pain to the extent it is weeping over prejudice that even the elites have about the existence of the virus. Dr. Yeiah believes elites of the county ought to support the fight against the pandemic by educating other members of the public.
“Can you just show me anybody you’ve seen living with COVID-19 or families of those who died as a result of the virus? They (government and county officials) just keep announcing figures and they will never show you victims of this virus”
– A Resident of Sugar Hil, Gbarnga, Bong County
He is therefore seeking stronger ties with the media in the war against the pandemic especially in informing, educating, and sensitizing of the members of the public.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica Friday, Bong County Superintendent Esther Walker, said, “I plead with residents of the county and other journalists in the county to assist the county and the county health team deal with the issue of prejudice even among residents”.
Yes, the media has really contributed hugely to the success rate we have achieved in the fight against this pandemic but we want efforts intensified in this regard, she said.
She added that county authority and the county health team will establish isolation center on Phebe Compound with the medical personnel well taken care of, which she said will be a proof of pro-activeness in combating the pandemic.
She wondered why people would demand to be shown the COVID-19 dead, just to convince them that the disease exists in the country.
“If the victims were their family members, would they want their names to be announced or shown to the public. The truth is that the family of the victims in the country know themselves and they cannot say that COVID–19 is a scam,” she said.
Continuing, she said, “When we say social distancing, even myself, I miss the shaking of hands with my friends. I miss the number of people that ought to gather here (event) but are restricted because of COVID-19.”
She advised the citizens to understand that they are not wearing face masks because of the security man enforcing face mask order. You protect your interest first before that of another person. You need to protect yourself for the sake of your family, she added.
While calling on journalists not to see their position as members of the fourth estate of the realm, as an accident, urged them to continually see it as an opportunity to assist in building the society through developmental journalism.