Residents of Surulere Local Government area of Lagos State and its environs, have been advised to desist from stigmatising and segregating against those who had been treated and discharged of COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Azeez Amusat, the Chairman, Community Development Advisory Council (CDAC), gave the advice on Thursday in Lagos at an Intensive Advocacy and Sensitisation programme in Surulere area.
The sensitisation was on the Transmission to Home Based Care of Asymptomatic or Mildly Positive Cases of COVID-19 in Surulere Local Government, in collaboration with the Community Development Committee (CDC).
Amusat said the programme was at the instance of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to sensitise people of the area on the effect of community transmission of Coronavirus (COVID-19), which involved the movement of infected persons within the community.
He said that isolation centres in the state had been occupied and no more space to receive new cases.
According to him, this informed the need for CDAs and CDC to sensitise people at the grassroots to continuously keep to safety measures against COVID-19 pandemic.
“People are no more conscious of the pandemic, and those who have been infected and healed are being ridiculous and stigmatised in the community.
”At the local government levels, local committees have been set up to be informed of any ill persons within the community.
“This is to ensure that they are cared for at home by trained health personnel so as to stem the spread of the virus in Surulere,” Amusat said.
He said the state governor had cautioned people on the need to stop stigmatising victims of the pandemic.
According to him, the governor had advised that we should maintain love and treat those that have been healed of the virus as part of the community.
He said the governor also advised people to maintain social distancing, avoid crowded places and crowded vehicles, and as well increase the use of hand sanitisers and nose masks.
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The council Chairman, Tajudeen Ajide, and the Council Manager, Akeem Adesanya, said residents that had been identified as asymptomatic patients should contact the local committees for immediate intervention.
“The essence of this sensitisation is to enlighten our people on the reality and urgency to take action to stem the spread of Coronavirus at the grassroots level.
“Here in Surulere, we have continuously complemented the efforts of the state government by providing all health measures, and stimulus packages.
“We have carried out streets, homes and offices fumigation during the lockdown,” he said.
The council manager, on behalf of the chairman, presented handbills to be distributed across the council area as part of the council continuous sensitisation of residents against the virus.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each CDA within Surulere is expected to carry out advocacy on house-to-house basis to enlighten residents on the need to contact the local government committee on any suspected cases.