COVID-19: Red Cross calls for support

The Nigeria Red Cross Society has called on donor agencies, international agencies and well spirited Nigerians to support it to scale up the fight against the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.

 Secretary General of the Nigerian Red Cross, Mr Abubakar Kende, at a press conference in Abuja  Tuesday said the society is well disposed to receiving support in cash, food and non-food items including household items and ambulances, personal protective equipment (PPE), radio and television airtime, and space on print media among others.

Kende said the society in the coming days will continue to work closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Federal Ministry of Health, National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and others to focus on risk communications and community engagement, hygiene promotion, psychosocial support, contact tracing and active surveillance, mass care, ambulance services, evacuation and burial and support for IDPs, old people, persons with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable children.

He said : “The Nigerian Red Cross Society has placed over one million volunteers on alert to respond should there be any case in Nigeria and following the first confirmed case, we trained and mobilised 100 volunteers in Lagos and Ogun states for intensive mass mobilisation to create awareness on preventive measures through radio jingles, live radio shows, distribution of flyers and sensitisation in religious centres, markets, motor parks and streets for two weeks.

“As you may be aware, the number of confirmed cases has risen from one to 111 in 11 states and FCT as at 19, the March, 2020 and still counting. Therefore, there is an urgent need to scale up the emergency response in all the affected states, FCT and neighbouring states.

“We commend the efforts of the federal and state government and philanthropists in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. This is not the time to trade blames but a time for everyone to come together. No one is safe; everyone is at risk,” he said.

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