COVID-19: Benue media group advises state on sensitization strategies
The Conference of Benue Journalists (CBJ) on Wednesday advised the Benue State Government to develop information dissemination strategy that could be regularly shared to keep the people sensitized on the deadly Coronavirus disease also called COVID-19.
Mr Emmanuel Anule, National President of the association stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.
Anule said an activation of a well structured media activity would go a long way to increase people’s awareness on the danger of the virus.
He explained that both conventional and non-conventional media platforms could be used to disseminate well crafted contents against the spread of the disease.
“It is imperative to take leverage of the power of the media and other traditional folklores to activate people’s alertness against the virus.
“The Conference of Benue Journalists is prepared to collaborate with the state government to develop media content and helping to spread same to keep the state safe’’, Anule said.
Anule also said the people should be assisted to imbibe a high standard of hygiene in order to stay safe from the dreaded COVID 19.
The national president of CBJ said the World Health Organisation (WHO) record showed that the novel coronavirus had affected over 180,000 people around the world.
He explained that it was, however, pleasant to see how the Federal Government was fighting hard to stop its spread, adding that the state government should do its part to safeguard the people.
The CBJ President recalled that the country confirmed its first coronavirus case in Lagos State on the 27th of February 2020 from an Italian man as the index victim.
“Some few other suspected cases were quarantined but later confirmed with negative status and discharged.
“The Federal Ministry of Health, however, on March 17th 2020 announced yet another case in Lagos of a Nigerian who returned from a foreign trip in the United Kingdom (UK) and currently held at Mainland Hospital.
“Our dear country Nigeria has recorded three cases of the disease since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January, we are however lucky that no death has been recorded and this shows good coordination by the government’’, he said.
Anule, therefore, urged the people in the state to holistically adopt the six-step preventive measures prescribed by both the federal ministry of health and National Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
“The preventive steps include regular wash of hands with soap and water, as well as use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
“Maintaining at least 1 and half metres (5 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
“Persons with persistent cough or sneezing should stay home or keep a social distance and not mixing up in crowd.”
The steps also stipulate that “people should follow good respiratory hygiene by covering of mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or by coughing and sneezing into bent elbow.”
The authorities had also suggested that people, who feel unwell with symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing must report at a medical center and not engage in self-medication.
The sixth step mandates people to stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19 through official channels.
“CBJ, an association of professional media practitioners of Benue origin with membership spread across the country, therefore, encourages indigenes and residents of the state to take seriously all health advisory.
“The state government should also scale up the involvement of the State Ministry of Health over the scourge towards assisting the state succeeds in its quest to continually ward-off the disease’’, Anule said.
