Dr. Anthony Normeshie, former National President of Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine (GAFRAM) has urged the government to intensify education in the rural areas on COVID-19 to help eradicate it.

Commending the government for the frequent update on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the country, Dr. Normeshie said, “Still most residents in the rural communities were adamant and choose to do their own thing”, adding, we must be deeply concern and intensify the education in the rural communities.

Dr. Normeshie, in-charge of the “Health For All Herbal Clinic” at Owuram in the West Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region, made the assertion when he engaged some journalists in a conversation about the prevailing disease, which is having its toll on various sectors including, social, economic, sporting, educational and other public activities and programmes.

The Traditional Physician urged the government to continue to publicise the need for all to abide by health directives and protocols, in traditional languages to make the information accessible to all.

He suggested that the Information Services Department (ISD), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the district assemblies and the traditional authorities beat “gong-gongs” to enhance the intensification of the education in the rural areas on the disease.

He urged people in the rural areas to readily report any unusual ailment they encounter to the nearest clinic and appealed to the government through the Ministry of Health to allocate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to registered herbal clinics in the country, to enable them contribute their quota in the fight against COVID-19.

Dr. Normeshie asked the government to explore ways to increase the involvement of traditional authorities in the fight against COVID-19, adding, government should also strengthen inter-agency collaboration, as a means of improving the effectiveness of overall governance issues relating to the pandemic in the country.