Plan International Ghana, a child-centered Non-governmental Organisation, in collaboration with the Upper West Regional Information Service Department (ISD), has intensified public education on the COVID-19 in the region.

The sensitisation and awareness creation campaign conducted in over 80 deprived communities in five municipalities and districts, was geared towards educating the public on the COVID-19 pandemic and its preventive measures.

Mr Sinto Mustapha, the Upper West Regional Director of the ISD revealed this to the Ghana News Agency in Wa on Tuesday.

The municipalities and districts were Wa and Sissala East, Wa West, Wa East, and Sissala West districts.

He said the ISD, with support from Plan International Ghana, embarked on the campaign using the information cinema vans as some individuals and communities could not get vital information about the COVID-19 through the television, social media, and radio broadcast.

"COVID-19 is preventable through observing the preventive protocols line such as hand washing under clean running water with soap, avoiding handshake, observing social distance, using alcohol-based sanitizer, coughing or sneezing into tissue paper and the continuous use of a face mask as it has become mandatory", he explained.

Mr Mustapha added that the communities were also sensitised on the need to avoid stigmatising persons who had contracted the virus as every person could be a victim.

The campaign messages were: Stop giving names to people infected with COVID-19; spread calm and not fear, COVID-19 is not a respecter of persons, let's come together to fight it, we are all at risk, Don't stigmatize me, it is me today, it could be you tomorrow; let's unite against COVID-19.
Others were COVID-19 is not a death sentence, stop the stigmatization, support victims of COVID-19; and their families don't stigmatize them, families of affected persons need social support and not figure pointing and discrimination and health workers are there for you, support them to care for you.

The sensitisation campaign also urged the public to avoid Gender Base Violence and child abuse, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"...Parents should also desist from any form of abuse against their children. Both partner and child abuse are criminal and could land the perpetrator in prison", Mr Mustapha said.

On E-learning, the Information Officer urged parents to regularly encourage their wards to participate in both radio and television teaching and learning activities.