Posted on Dec 19,2020

STAKEHOLDERS (HOTELS AND GUEST HOUSES) MEETING ON CORONA VIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19)

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The Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly invited stakeholders in the hotel industry to an emergency meeting to discuss issues on COVID 19 and matters arising. The chairperson for the meeting Mr Augustine Peprah welcomed members present and disclosed the purpose of the meeting. He also gave an update on series of meetings held with some stakeholders concerning measures needed to help prevent the corona virus disease.
MATTERS ARISING
Mr Augustine Peprah gave an update about series of meetings held with some stakeholders concerning measures needed to help prevent contracting and spreading of the corona virus disease and requested that committee members add on to his voice.
EDUCATION
Mr William Boakye of Ghana Health Service gave some education on how we can reduce the possibility of contracting the virus, among them are washing of hands frequently with soap and water, ensuring social distancing protocols, frequent use of alcohol based sanitizers, avoiding handshakes, etc. He also gave global statistics on the corona virus disease. He again placed much emphasis on hand washing by advising we wash our hands as often as possible. Mr Stephen Fosu-Antwi of sun city guest house raised the issue that, for the Veronica buckets and sanitizers they are easy to acquire but for the face mask, they find it difficult to get and requested if the Ghana Health Service could support them with the face mask. Mr William Boakye of Ghana Health Service answered that, the face mask is good but not so essential to curb the pandemic as far as the work of the hotels and guest houses are concerned but rather resort to other measures such as the frequent washing of hands with soap and water, the use of sanitizers, avoiding handshakes, among others. Mr Bright Owusu Agama of Rexco Hotel asked that, they often touch their phones after handling items such as money and inquired of what can be done? Mr William Boakye answered that they should make it a habit to wash their hands with soap and water immediately they touch and use items of that nature.
Clients records
Mr A.K. Ayebeng advised officers of the various hotels and guest houses to help in the fight of the pandemic by taking records of all customers who come to use their facilities. He added that, officers of the hotels and guest houses should alert the security agencies in the municipality if they detect any foreigner or stranger hiding in their facilities for a long time.
Hygiene
The environmental health officer, Mr Jacob Owusu advised the hotels and guest houses to change their bedspreads, pillow cases and other consumables often in order to help fight the corona virus disease.
Stigmatization
Madam Juliet O. Adusei of runners hotel raised an issue about the possibility of a particular hotel or guest house been stigmatized when they identify and report a suspected case of the corona virus disease. Mr Ayebeng of B.N.I. answered that, the security agencies are professionals in discharging their duties and will not disclose any information of a sought but added that the challenge is with the community members and indigenes who are quick to spread information.
Adherence to directives
Mr. Stephen Fosu- Antwi raised an issue that, the hotels and guest houses cannot be limited to only members of the community because the hotels and guest houses are highly patronized by strangers and advised that the necessary directives given must be adhered to by all the hotels and guest houses since in reality members of the community hardly use their facilities. Mr Ayebeng admonished all hotels and guest houses to issue VAT receipts to their customers.
Final remarks
Mr Augustine Peprah, the chairperson of the meeting also advised that the hotels and guest houses should be security conscious in order to keep track of all customers who come to use their the facilities. He added that all hotels and guest houses should have Veronica buckets containing water, soap and tissue placed at their entrances to be used by clients before entering their premises. He again stated that, workers of the hotels and guest houses should as well wash their hands often.

Posted Nov 25, 2020

Hon. Martina leads Ahafo Ahafo Ano North Municipal in Covid-19 fight

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The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region Martina Appiah Nyantekyie has as part of measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 lead a team to educate market women about some preventive measures. The team, made up of health professionals and members of the Assembly visited the Tepa market last Thursday. The team among other things cautioned both market women and traders to practise basic hygiene and ensure healthy lifestyle. Among the basic hygiene practices, the team taught was hand washing. Here, the MCE through a demonstration showed the onlookers how to effectively wash the hand. Through the demonstration, the MCE mentioned that hand washing must take at least 20 seconds and must be done thoroughly under running water. The MCE used the occasion to donate some veronica buckets to the market and urge both traders and patrons to put it into good use. Interacting with the traders, the Municipal Health Director Mr. Joseph Adomako admonished them to take their health into their own hands by observing all the precautions prescribed by the Ghana Health service. Throwing light on social distancing, the Health Director stated, it has become very necessary and proven to be one of the major means of fighting the pandemic and advised that the public should desist from not so important travels and avoid handshaking. On hand sanitizers, the Director stated that its application is also good and appealed to the traders to reduce the cost to make it affordable for all. Mr Adomako also used the occasion to advice the public to adopt both coughing and sneezing on the elbow as part of our culture. In all the team was able to interact with at least 1000 people as the day was a market day. On every Thursday, the market attracts 1000s of patrons from across the country and even beyond. Traders come as far as from neighbouring Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.

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Posted Nov 3, 2020

STAKEHOLDERS (BARBERS) MEETING ON CORONA VIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19)

The chairperson for the meeting Mr Augustine Peprah (MCD) welcomed members present and disclosed to members that we have gathered to discuss how best we can prevent to corona virus disease as far as the work of barbers in the municipality are concerned.
MATTERS ARISING
Mr A.K. Ayebeng, the B.N.I. officer gave some briefing on the pandemic and encouraged the barbers to get Veronica buckets to enhance washing of hands at their various shops. He again added that, the barbers need to get much towels or clothes to prevent people from contracting and spreading the disease.
Education
Mr William Boakye of Ghana Health Service gave statistics about the alarming increase of the corona virus disease. He also gave some education on how we can reduce the possibility of contracting the virus, among them are washing of hands frequently with soap and water, ensuring social distancing protocols, frequent use of alcohol based sanitizers, avoiding handshakes, etc. He also admonished we drink a lot of water.
Barbers inputs/suggestions
Mr Augustine Peprah, the chairman of the meeting gave opportunity to the barbers to add their voice about what they think can be done to prevent the disease and as well make inquiries if there is any. Mr Amfo Fred extended gratitude to the Municipal assembly for their efforts in preventing the corona virus disease. He added that they have some challenges in acquiring the Veronica buckets and requested if the Assembly could support them in getting some. Mr Augustine Peprah told them the assembly does not have the means for that but advised they could buy ordinary buckets and buy the pipes to fix since it is very difficult to get the Veronica buckets from the market.
Usage of materials
Mr Sarfo Sowa Sampson of NADMO advised the barbers to pay much attention to their sterilizers, warmer towels and other materials they use to help prevent the disease. Mr William Boakye advised that the barbers should not repeat warmer towels after use but wash each towel immediately after use.
Number of clients
Mr Jacob Owusu, the municipal environmental health officer advised that the barbers should not keep more than three people in a shop at a particular point in time in order to prevent the disease.

Posted October 15, 2020

Madam Martina Appiah-Nyantakyi, the Ahafo-Ano North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has handed over about 400 pieces of furniture to pupils and teachers in eleven basic schools in that area.

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She said the aim was to ease congestion in the classrooms to make teaching and learning comfortable for both teachers and pupils. The beneficiary schools are Kotei Nkwanta, Akyena M/A, Akrofoso M/A, Siawkrom M/A, Tepa SDA primary and Anyinasuso Presbyterian schools. Manfo Islamic, Nyameadom M/A, Tepa English Arabic Primary, Suponso M/A and Asuhyeae RC, are the others. A recent visit by the MCE and her team together with some Municipal education service officials to the schools revealing the deplorable state of the furniture used by the teachers and pupils, necessitated the donation. Most pupils had no furniture at all, and the limited number that were in a very bad state, were also being used by just few pupils. Madam Appiah-Nyantakyi advised the beneficiaries to cultivate good maintenance culture for the items to last longer. The Assembly she said, was going to ensure that teachers and pupils were comfortable at their posts. Mr. Oti Boakye, the Human Resource officer for the Municipal Education Service, lauded the Assembly for their gesture and asked that they continued to provide more of logistical support.

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Posted October 5, 2020

Several youth in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality in the Ashanti Region have been enrolled onto the government’s flagship agric intervention programme, ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ (PFJ).

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The development, according to Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Martina Appiah-Nyantakyi has led a drastic reduction of youth unemployment situation especially, among youth in the area. The MCE, who was speaking in an interview with Ghanadistricts.com, disclosed that the youth were engaged in maize, cabbage, cucumber, carrot, garden eggs, pepper and ginger production for both local and foreign markets. She added that the farmers were supported with seedlings and various farm inputs including fertilizers, NPK to help enhance their farming activities. Meanwhile, the MCE has also reiterated the government’s commitment to collaborate with the private investors to further enhance development in the agric sector of the country. “As a government that sees the private sector as the engine of economic growth, we will continue to create the enabling environment to encourage individuals and private entities to invest in the country’s Agriculture for mutual benefit” the soft-spoken MCE noted. She therefore ceased the opportunity to encourage other unemployed youth in the area to take advantage and get enrolled onto the programme in order help change their fortunes.

Posted Sept 26, 2020

Ahafo Ano North to get rice mill under CIPA project

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A rice mill is set to be constructed in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region under government’s industrialisation drive. Under the special rice farming initiative, the municipality is expecting at least 3,000 bags of rice seeds to be cultivated on over 6,000 acres of farmlands. The factory will be established with a grant from the Japanese government whiles the Municipal Assembly secures the site for the project. Farmers to be engaged in this project would be assisted by the Africa Rice Center to employ modern technology for enhanced production. Municipal Chief Executive of the area, Martina Appiah-Nyanyakyi, explains that the project, when completed, could make the municipal a leading rice producer in the country. She made these revelations as part of her sessional address at a just ended assembly meeting held at Tepa Municipal Director for Agriculture, Samuel Ankomah, explained that the initiative will be under the project titled, ‘Capitalising Inland valley Potential for food and nutrition security for smallholder farmers in West Africa. (CIPA)’ According to him, the project will test and promote an integrated best-bet and best-fit land use planning. It will also employ a system of Natural Resource Management and a crop production approach in inland valleys to achieve food nutrition security in West Africa. CIPA’s activities are funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with implementation in Ghana and Ivory Coast simultaneously. Africa Rice Center is the implementer and Soil Research Institute (SRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as the national partner. Meanwhile, the assembly has made a request to the Food and Agriculture Ministry for the supply of farm implements to aid the farmers in the venture. It is estimated that annually at least 3.7 tons of rice is produced by the municipality.

Other Agriculture Initiatives

In a related development, the Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly intends to raise 24,000 oil palm seedlings and 8,600 citrus seedlings at its nursery site in Tepa to be distributed to farmers to support oil palm and citrus productions. The programme, which is under the Planting for Export and Rural Development Programme ( PERD), in 2018 raised 12,000 oil palm seedlings covering 200 acres of farmland and distributed to at least 132 farmers upon maturity for the establishment of their oil palm farms. Again, 21,750 coffee seedlings which will cover 50 acres of farmland have been raised and are ready to be supplied freely to farmers for cultivation in the Municipality.

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Posted September 10, 2020

A/R: Forestry Commission destroys 8-hectare of food crops at Desiri

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The Mankranso command of the Forestry Commission has destroyed what they say is illegal farms in the Desiri forest reserves located in the Asutifi and Ahafo Ano North districts in Ashanti region. The move was triggered after the management discovered large farms in the reserve without approval of the forestry commission, district manager Godwin Agyeman disclosed. Range manager, Palmer Aikins Amponsah in an interview with Ultimate FM’s Isaac Bediako said the exercise saw destruction of eight hectares of cultivated farm food crops. The exercise which was executed with the support of the military and the commission’s guards will continue next week Wednesday 19 September 2018, to free the forest reserve from encroachers. A visit to the forest reserve by the media witnessed activities of the encroachers destructing cedralla and teak trees to be harvested by government in its maturity stage. Checks revealed over one thousand trees have been felled, burnt and destroyed with chemicals by the illegal farmers. The Range manager disclosed that, “the plantations if allowed for few years will mature for harvest to bring a lot of revenue to the State but illegal farmers are clearing the plantations for their self-interest. On the 12th of September staff of the forestry commission and over 60 Youth in afforestation (YEA) members from Tepa ,Mehame, Dadesoaba and Siencheim communities went to the farms to destruction crops on the illegal farmers” he said. He noted “crops destroyed include cocoa, maize, cocoyam, and Yam, interestingly while destroying we also planted tress seedlings to replace the lost trees due to activities of the farmers. The trees planted are varieties of both exotic and indigenous species”. He also revealed that illegal farmers arrested in the Desiri forest reserve have been arraigned before court for prosecution. “I will like to use this opportunity to advice illegal farmers farming illegally here to seize their lawless activities or face the thoroughness of the law” he pleaded.

Posted August 26, 2020

Updates on COVID-19 and other health issues in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality

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Mr Stanley Asiateba of the Municipal Health Directorate gave an update on COVID-19 as far as the Municipality is concerned. He stated that a 21 year old pregnant patient who visited the Tepa Municipal Hospital was suspected of COVID-19 and was detained and later referred to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. The result of the suspected case of COVID-19 tested positive. The result was sent to Hwidiem Hospital and was then forwarded to the Tepa Health Directorate.
Mr. Stanley added that, the medical team of Tepa Hospital and Hwidiem Hospital met the Municipal Coordinating Director of Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly to discuss about the report on the COVID-19 case.
He added that sixteen people who have had contacts with the COVID-19 patient have been identified and their samples were taken on 26th and 27th May 2020 pending results from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. He gave evidence of the contact tracing made in the community with the aid of displayed pictures.
Mr Sarfo Sowa Sampson asked of why the pregnancy of the COVID-19 patient was terminated and an answer was given that, the safety of the patient as well as further considerations led to the termination of the pregnancy. Mr Stanley included that the next steps to be taken by the Health Directorate in line with the COVID-19 case recorded are, making follow ups for pending test results, providing psychological support to health staff, intensification of education in various communities on safety protocols, among others.
Update on confirmed polio cases
Mr Stanley unveiled to members that for many years of no polio case in the Municipality, its unfortunate a polio case has been confirmed at the Tepa Municipal Hospital. The case was confirmed on the 11th day of May, 2020 of a child by name Mohammed who is three and half years old after he reported at the Hospital earlier on 11th February, 2020. He also briefed the house about actions taken so far after the confirmed case. He said they have conducted immunization survey in the community where the child lives (i.e Katapei), environmental assessment has been undertaken in the community with support from the Municipal Environmental Health Officer, and education has also been given, among others. He again indicated that, health staff would be trained once again on Polio to educate people living in various communities in the municipality, arrangement will also be made for the child to see a neurosurgeon to help treat the child’s condition. He added that financial support is needed to help treat the child’s condition.
The fire officer, Mr Wikana Badoming commended Mr Stanley and his team for their splendid and quick response in attending to the polio case. He also requested to be briefed more about the polio since he is oblivious of its cause, symptoms and prevention. Mr Stanley answered that dirty environment and inadvertent intake of faeces of a person with polio. He added a symptom is the inability to straighten the body when walking or standing and a prevention is practising of good personal hygiene.
Furthermore, an inquiry was made as to whether the child suffering from polio has ever been vaccinated. Mr Stanley answered that their outfit is investigating into that. Again Mr Sarfo Sowa Sampson asked of the sanitation condition of where the child with polio lives. Mr Jacob Owusu, the Environmental Health Officer responded that the sanitation condition is actually nothing good to write home about and source of water been either borehole or stream. Mr Adomako Joseph, the Municipal Health Director inquired of the one responsible to repair boreholes when they get damaged. Mr Ebenezer Quarm, the Municipal Planning Officer responded that ideally the boreholes are to be repaired by members of the community using proceeds collected from selling boreholes at reduced prices. Mr Augustine Peprah, the Municipal Coordinating Director added that there should be water and sanitation committee in the various communities to work on issues of such nature.
Mr Wusu Alhassan added that, for him, he thinks it is not prudent for the Assembly to construct a borehole and afterwards maintain it but rather the stakeholders in the various communities should take charge to maintain the boreholes and this was supported vehemently by the Municipal Chief Executive and the Municipal Environmental Health Officer.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Martina Appiah Nyantakyi stated that upon her visit to the market, she noticed that the sanitation situation in the market is not good and suggested that the Zoomlion Officer of the Municipality be added to the COVID-19 management committee for him to be more abreast with the sanitation condition in the market and the Municipality as a whole.
Isolation / Quarantine centre
The Municipal Health Director, Mr Joseph Adomako briefed members that the Municipal Health Directorate has commenced building of an isolation centre for COVID-19 patients in the Municipality however, the Directorate is constrained financially and requested if the Municipal Assembly could support for the project to be completed. Mr Augustine Peprah, the Municipal Coordinating Director responded that the Assembly does not have funds for such project and suggested we look for other readily available alternatives. Mr Wikana, suggested that he thinks it will be proper if every community in the municipality get an isolation centre. This view was deemed laudable and accepted by all. Mr Samuel Damptey, the registrar of Tepa Traditional Council added that the traditional councils should be engaged in relation to quarantine centres if they could support with any of their facilities.

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Posted August 10, 2020

Fixing of new transport fares for Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly

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On the 12th of August 2020,the Ahafo Ano North Municipal Assembly invited all transport unions to a stakeholder meeting to deliberate on new transport fares. After a very fruitful discussions, the following new fares were agreed upon and further approved;

Area / Town	Fare (GHc)
Tepa - Kumasi	12.00
Tepa - Manfo	4.00
Tepa - Asuhyiae	7.00
Tepa - Twabidi	7.50
Tepa - Subriso	6.50
Tepa - Bomaa	5.00
Tepa - Subonpan	1.50
Tepa - Mabang	2.00
Tepa - Anyinasuso	3.00
Tepa - Wioso	5.00
Tepa - Boagyaa	5.00
Tepa - Dwenase	5.00
Tepa - Akwasiase	2.00
Tepa - Rexco	1.00
Tepa - Brosanko	2.50
Tepa - Bechem	5.50
Tepa - Bonkrom	3.00
Tepa - Kyekyewere	3.00
Tepa - Jacobu	5.00
Asuhyie / Manfo - Kumasi	13.00
Twabidi - Kumasi	13.00
Subriso - Kumasi	16.00
Anyinasuso - Kumasi	10.50
Tepa - Betiako/Abonsuaso	9.00
Betiako/Abonsuaso - Kumasi	13.00
Tepa - Betinko	5.00
Bonkrom - Betinko	3.00
Tepa - Accra	50.00
Tepa - Bawku	80.00
Tepa - Bunkrugu	80.00
Tepa - Goaso	10.00
Tepa - Acherensua	5.00
Tepa - Hwediem	6.00
Tepa - Town Running (Pragia)	1.00
Tepa - Sunyani	15.00
Anyinasuso - Kumasi	10.50
Anyinasuso - Betiako/Abonsuaso	9.00
Anyinasuso - Amankrom	3.00
Tepa - Katapei	7.00
Anyinasuso - Suponso	5.00

Posted July 24, 2020

Meeting on COVID 19 preventive measures

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A meeting on COVID 19 preventive measures was held at the Assembly Hall. In attendance was the MCE, MCD, the municipal health director and his members, all assembly staff, and major stakeholders.

Matters arising:
OPERATIONS OF TRANSPORT SERVICE
The Municipal Planning Officer opined that a meeting was held with the union leaders to deliberate on the way forward and it was agreed that the number of passengers should be reduced as follows;
Tricycle- two(2) at the back, one (1) in front
Taxi - two (2) at the back, one(1) in front
Trotro- maximum spacing should be observed
Union Leaders agreed to communicate the new arrangement with its members.
TRAINING OF HEALTH WORKERS
Mr John the representative of the Health committee explained that they have trained a total of fifty two (52) health staff on ways to manage the Covid-19 virus.
LOGISTICS
Madam Felicia Oppong ( Rep. Health Directorate) informed members present that they have received some logistics which included:
2 litres hand sanitizers 3
250 litres hand sanitizers 3
2000 fliers on convid-19
She added that the Municipal Coordinating Director agreed to provide the hospital with one thousand four hundred (1,400) locally prepared face mask with each staff getting four (4).
EDUCATION AND MONITORING
Mr Laarbik Simon (Director NCCE) informed members that the NCCE in conjunction with the church of Pentecost visited forty-three (43) communities to educate them on covid-19. He added that a lot has been done in the market to ensure social distancing in terms of educating the market women and have yielded positive results. He commended the security agencies and the municipal assembly task force for their tremendous support in ensuring social distancing and ensuring that other preventive measures against covid-19 are observed in the market and other public places.
The Municipal Health Director tasked the committee to have a meeting and present their report on the next meeting.
TEMPORAL SUSPENSION OF WEEKLY MARKET
Announcement have been made by the President to stop at the National, Regional and District level weekly market days. The committee reported that even though social distancing is been observed at the various markets within the municipality, it becomes extremely difficult to practice social distancing during market days because of traders coming from Goaso, Bechem, Kumasi and surrounding villages in the municipality. Mr Ebenezer Quarm (the MPO) suggested the setting up of barriers at the three main entry route thus Kumasi, Goaso and Bechem to prevent traders from entering the market during market days.
The Municipal Police Commander lamented that due to inadequate Municipal Assembly Task Force, the security Agency (police) has to step in with the exercise which is a bit of a challenge to the Agency since they are understaff as well.
The municipal health director suggested they would go to the market immediately after the meeting to carry out the exercise to enforce social distancing since it was a market day which was agreed by members present.
SURVEILLANCE COMMITTEE
The committee met once and a budget was prepared and presented to the Municipal Coordinating Director. The committee visited some communities and observed that most of the community members were not practicing covid-19 preventive measures most especially social distancing.
The committee recommendations included the provision of veronica buckets to communities, and also provision of water to communities’ without good source of drinking water.
MEDICAL TEAM
Mr Frank explained that the committee met on the 21stApril 2020 and reviewed suspected covid-19 cases so far. In all 21 cases were tested and result came out negative. He indicated that samples of three (3) suspected cases could not be taken. He added that the three people were self-isolating at home and are being monitored.
SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The MCE emphasized the wearing of face mask to prevent ourselves from contracting the covid-19. She said our health should be our utmost priority and therefore we should try and buy face mask ourselves instead of waiting for central government or the municipal assembly to get us some since we only have one life to live. She pleaded for us to stay at home if we have nothing important doing outside our homes. She added that the central government and the assembly alone cannot provide everything for us.

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Posted July 1, 2020

Emergency meeting on COVID 19

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An emergency meeting on COVID 19 was held at the Assembly Hall to deliberate on the Assembly's preparedness made so far in the fight against the pendemic. In attendance was the MCE, MCD, the municipal health director and his members, all assembly staff, and major stakeholders.

Matters arising:
Mr. Joseph Adomako (Municipal Health Director) in his submission narrated that there have been several improvements made by his outfit in preparation towards an outbreak in the municipality;
Provision of PPEs And Isolation Centre
The Medical Officer (Tepa Municipal Hospital) said they are doing assessment to have an Isolation centre that the facility will use in case of an outbreak of any covid-19 case. He added that they have been able to acquire some Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) by themselves but they are not enough to cater for all of the staff.
Mad. Agyeiwaah Badu said there are inadequate equipment to work with and no positive case has been recorded, although two suspected case came and they all tested negative. She added that there is a need for infrared thermometers to be provided for all health centres to help with easy detection.
The Medical Officer said patients are required to undergo preliminary testing before they get to see a Physician. Some preliminary checks that are undertaken at the facility are Temperature checks and filling of questionnaire to ascertain a patient’s travel history or otherwise. All patients are required to wash their hands before entering the facility with veronica buckets provided at various vantage points.
Operations of Transport Services
Mad. Afrakoma Deborah representing the Ghana Education Service asked of measures put in place to check and reduce the number of passengers Okada riders take per trip. She added that there has been an upsurge in travellers entering the Municipality and that measures should be put in place to contain the situation. The Police commander responding to the question said that a stakeholder meeting has to be held to engage the transport unions on some new measures being instituted to help fight COVID -19. He further added that there has been some level of interaction with the Transport Unions to reduce the number of passengers they take per trip. He also said that the Assembly members should help in educating the residents in their communities and identification of new people.
The municipal B.N.I officer said all the stakeholders are to cooperate with the assembly members to make the dissemination of information easier to people in the communities in prevention of the disease.
Training of Health Staff
The Municipal Health Director said, Covid-19 is a new strain of an already existing virus hence there is the need to train all health staff on the virus and ways to manage symptoms. He said his outfit is in the process of undertaking a training exercise to that effect.
Logistics
The Municipal Health Director said that although logistics have been a bit of a big challenge, the Assembly has provided the health directorate with fifty (50) bottles of sanitizers to be distributed among all the health facilities in the Municipality. He added that the Assembly has also provided surgical face masks to be used. He further added that it will be much appreciated if they were provided with the N95 masks instead which has proven to be much more effective against the virus Furthermore, he indicated that additional veronica buckets be added to the already existing ones being used by the health facilities to aid in effective hand washing practices. The Health Director in his submission also said that additional Infrared thermometers are needed to be distributed to all existing health facilities.
Mass Fumigation
Mr. John Provinceh lamented that During the Mass Fumigation exercise that was undertaken by Zoomlion in conjunction with the Assembly some key facilities like the hospitals and health centres were left out. He suggested that the health facilities should be subsequently looked at in the subsequent fumigation exercise.
Temporal Suspension of Weekly Market
The Municipal BNI officer suggested a temporal suspension of the Thursday Weekly Market to help deal with the number of people trooping into the Central Business District. The M.C.D said there should be interaction with the leadership of the market before the temporal closure of the market is executed. Mr. John said, there should be a fund set aside to help in the fight against the virus. The M.C.D commenting said a contingency fund has been sent to the Regional Co-ordinating Council for approval