Mr Isaac Adongo, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bolgatanga Constituency in the Upper East Region says the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic requires a way of life that is consistent with hygienic behaviour.

He said the fight required major attitudinal change and hygienic behaviour, which were absent among Ghanaians, saying, “Our people have lived very communal lives that have been very carefree and we know that this virus strives on hygienic conducts when we don’t observe them.”

Mr Adongo was speaking at a media launch against COVID-19 in the Bolgatanga Constituency as part of measures to prevent the possible spread of the virus in the constituency, after he had earlier presented medical and non-medical consumables to the Municipal Health Directorate to fight the virus.

“If this disease will have the courage to attack the Prime Minister of England, then, it is a respecter of nobody, and I want to appeal to the media to be very circumspect in the work that you do and not be swayed too much by the political rhetoric of those of us who are into politics.”

The MP said the media had a critical role to play in achieving the core objective of driving the disease out of the country, “We need to consistently develop a strategy that focuses on this disease as one that kills and to work towards killing the disease right now.”

He said there would be no electorates to vote for political parties if the country did not survive the COVID-19 pandemic, and indicated that the main focus of their activities in the next couple of days was on a more united front to defeat the virus.

Dr Winfred Ofosu, the Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) who launched the campaign led by a three-member team of nurses, thanked the MP for the initiative and support against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He charged the team to collaborate with other health professionals in the Constituency, to visit all public places, especially drinking bars, market and lorry stations, Youth Parliaments among other places to educate them on the need to ensure social distancing.

He urged the team to also school members of the public on the GHS protocols on COVID-19 and the signs and symptoms associated with the virus.

Dr Ofosu said even though the Region had not yet recorded a case of COVID-19, they would not be surprised to see some in the near future due to the movement of persons in and out of the Region, and urged the team, all health professionals and the media not to relax but intensify education on the GHS protocols devoid of creating panic and fear in members of the public.

The items the MP earlier presented to the Municipal Health Directorate valued at about Gh¢ 80,000.00, included 100 pieces of sterile reusable and disposable overall gowns, methylated spirit, examination gloves, face masks, 60 boxes of liquid soap, 78 Veronica Buckets and two spraying machines for disinfection of health facilities in the constituency.