As part of efforts by government to prevent and contain the spread of the novel COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa has announced Saturday, April 4, as the date set aside for the mass disinfection exercise in the major markets in the entire region.
In a press conference organized at the Volta Regional coordinating council on April 2, 2020, Mr. Letsa noted that, the exercise forms part of the directive from the President Nana, Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, to disinfect the sixteen (16) regions of the country.
He said the exercise is scheduled to take place in the morning from 5am and expected to end at 2pm after which a cleaning exercise follows in all the eighteen (18) Municipal and District Assemblies in the region.
” In addition, all the lorry stations, shops, stores, restaurants, drinking spots, chop bars and all businesses that operate adjacent or close to the various markets will be affected and therefore will all remain closed from Saturday April 4, 2020 form 5am to 2pm” he directed.
He mentioned that, traders and other service providers who operates at these places are to be notified and educated so that they comply with the directive to close their shops and stay away from them during the period the exercise will take place.
He therefore tasked all the Municipal and District Chief Executives to engage with the various market Queen and traders as well as other stakeholders including the Traditional Rulers and service providers of the affected markets to solicit their full support and cooperation.
Dr. Kwesi Senanu Dzokoto, takes turn |
The exercise, he said, will be undertaken by the Zoomlion group of companies and with the assistance from other sprayers mobilized by the Municipal and District Assemblies (MDA’s)
He noted that the Military, Police Service, National Fire Service, National Ambulance Service and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) are key stakeholders who will be assisting in the exercise.
The reiterated that, the presence of the security is to ensure that law and order prevail at the various places.
He further commended the media responsiveness which has contributed significantly in the development of the region.
Dr. Kwesi Senanu Dzokoto, Deputy Volta Regional Director of Ghana Health Services in charge of Public Health, explained that, the fact that people travel from different part of the country including cities referred to as the epicenters of the novel COVID-19 to major Markets in the region, there is the need for these markets be targeted for this Mass disinfection exercise.
Talking about measures to contain and prevent COVID-19 in the Region, Mr.Dzokoto said their outfit has put in place quite a number of measures to enable them to detect early and contain any possibility of COVID-19
He also explained that, they are working with Community based volunteer who are well trained are assisting in the various communities across the region as he noted that, no positive case has been confirmed yet in the region.
He added that, as part of their objectives, any case identified will be given the best of treatment across.
He assured that, coordination among stakeholder, Risk communication and social mobilization, surveillance and community Surveillance are applied across the 699 health facilities to keep Volta as well as Oti Regions in full gear to stand firm in these challenging times.
He further stated that, in order to expand the capacity of their surveillance, the regional minister is working with all key stakeholders including the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHA), the Ho Teaching Hospital to improve and rapidly expand the capacity of the laboratory we have as he observed that, it is one of the best in the country.
“we are looking forward to being satisfied so that the speed at which we can confirm cases will also be enhanced” he stated.
The mass disinfection exercise has commenced in the country with some region including the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono regions have successfully undertaken this exercise