The leadership of the student body of the Ensign College of Public Health at Kpong in the Eastern Region on Friday, August 21, 2020 demonstrated their commitment to the fight against the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic with the distribution of some PPE to selected basic, senior high schools and a tertiary institution in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.

The items including 1000 pieces of face masks and 500 bottles of hand sanitizers, were presented to the Nursing and Midwifery Training College at Odumase-Krobo, Foreman Presby JHS at Odumase-Krobo, Krobo State College at Kpong, the Kpong Methodist JHS and Akuse Methodist Senior High School by the Students' Representative Council (SRC) led by Mr. Stephen Afakorzi
The presentation, according to the president of the SRC, falls in line with the agendum of the SRC which is, ‘Promoting health and preventing diseases.’

Mr. Stephen Afakorzi said the presentation of the items which is to supplement the provisions made by the government and parents, is also to remind the various educational facilities of the continuous existence of the disease and the need to observe the various safety protocols.

Mr. Afakordzi observed some challenges in the schools visited which he believed stakeholders must address. These include bad classroom settings, inadequate veronica buckets, tissue papers and sanitizers.

The SRC president while expressing hope in other stakeholders emulating their gesture, called on the beneficiary schools to remember that COVID-19 is real and must therefore adhere to all the protocols to stay safe.

Aside the distribution of the items, the SRC president who said the council is working in three directions averred that the college, aside the distribution of the PPEs to the schools, will also educate and promote health and give back to the institution.

A resident nurse at the Ensign College of Public Health, Miss Rebecca Ametepe educated the students on the need to observe the covid19 protocols including proper and regular handwashing, social distancing, wearing of face masks at all times, the use of hand sanitizers, etc. to avert contracting the disease.

She took the opportunity to also demonstrate the proper handwashing and face mask wearing etiquette to the students.

School Health Education Program Coordinator for Lower Manya Krobo, Mr. Godfried Ofoe Ceasar who accompanied the team on the exercise commended the students for their role, adding that their benevolence would significantly supplement provisions made by government to the schools in their fight against the pandemic.

He said teachers in most schools were trying their best to ensure that students and pupils observe the covid-19 protocols.

According to the SHEP coordinator, although all senior high schools have received the PPEs, a few basic schools were yet to receive them and urged such schools to procure these items by themselves while waiting on government for their supplies.

Speaking on behalf of management of the Ensign College who accompanied the schools, Academic Registrar/Human Resource Manager at the College, Mr. Patrick Kuma applauded the students on their decision to supplement the provisions made by government to the schools.

He encouraged students of other institutions to emulate the gesture of their colleagues and contribute their quota towards the fight against the pandemic.

He noted that the aggregate of all the efforts of these groups will be significant in the collective efforts being made towards efforts to combat the pandemic.

The school heads including Dean Attinga who is Head Of Academics at the Nursing and Midwifery Training College at Odumase-Krobo, Head Teacher of the Foreman Presby JHS, Francis Nadutey, Madam Ellen Teye, headmistress of the Krobo State College, Jacob Gyabaku Osifodoe of the Kpong Methodist JHS and Rev. Konor, Assistant Headmaster in Charge of Academics at the Akuse Methodist Senior High School who received the items on behalf of the staff, PTA and management of their respective schools, expressed their gratitude to the student leadership of the Ensign College for their support in helping to educate and protect the students.

They were of the firm belief that the gesture would go a long way to help students concentrate and promote the educational drive on the preventive etiquette of COVID-19 in the various schools in the municipality.

They however called on other stakeholders to emulate the example of the students by equally supporting the schools with more PPE and other school infrastructure.

SRC president of the Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Evans Ackon appealed for more computers for the school to facilitate academic activities.

He also appealed for a power plant for the school as well as the rehabilitation of the road leading to the school.