As Government announced the second batch of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Liberia, a US-Based Liberian has added his voice to the voices of Health Authorities by sending out a clarion call to Liberians back home to take all necessary precautions to safeguard lives.
Report by Moses M. Tokpah, Contributing Writer
Mr. Arthur Doe, in an interview with this writer, recently expressed that seeing his people (Liberians) gather together in the streets is alarming, thereby admonishing them to follow the health protocols laid down by the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL).
According to him, observing social distancing, consistent hand washing and staying home amongst other measures are the best ways the Liberian people can safeguard themselves from contracting the Coronavirus.
Mr. Doe stated that the United States of America, which is an advance Country, has experienced and continues to experience the negative waves of COVID-19, adding that whether the virus is manmade or not, it is real and can be contracted if one does not observe the safety measures.
According to him, Liberians have been resilience and are good people, but they are hard headed indicating that it is only rain and guns they are afraid of.
“We don’t want for you to experience the COVID-19 before you come to your senses; prevention is better than cure; we’ve always liked to overlook things, but this is a very serious business” he warned.
Mr. Doe, at the same time, frowned on those who believe that Government must provide some basic needs in this economically challenged environment before asking the poor people to stay home or self-quarantine. Mr. Doe verbalized that “Even in the United States of America, the Trump Government is yet to provide its Citizens the needed supplies to combat COVID-19, yet to even mention about providing foods to millions of Americans who were told to stay home. Thank goodness to Goodwill Citizens of America for their generosities and sacrifices to rush meals to disadvantaged and underprivileged families.”
“Prevention is better than cure. You don’t want for the Country to be hit with this deadliest virus before people realize that fellow Liberians are dying.” Mr. Doe continued, “I remembered during the war, I was in Liberia when guns were flying, and not a single individual was in the street looking for food or selling in the market or at roadside. If even people were in the streets looking for foods, they were not in groups.”
“I don’t know whether there should be guns or rain falling for my Liberian people to stay home, but I think prevention is better than cure; our people should be able to stay home, and designate one or two persons from a family who should be able to come outside to find foods, like we did during the war.” Mr. Doe concluded that “Flies were living before dog ears were cut,” a Liberian parlance he used to appeal to every Liberian that when you can make it during the war that lasted more than 21 days, you can stay home and be Coronavirus survivors for only 21 days as directed by your Government and the above agencies.”
Mr. Doe is the former National Secretary General of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), an Administrative Coordinator, Department of Nursing, Suburban Hospital-Johns Hopkins Medicines, a Licensed Counselor and Community Support Contractor at the MacArthur and Baker International Health Services (MBI) in Washington, District of Columbia, USA, and a Consulting Partner of the Divine Joy Clinic located in Caldwell, Montserrado County.
