NORSAAC, a Civil Society Organization (CSO) based in the Northern region, has awarded seven frontline female health workers in the Tamale Metropolis, Zabzugu district in the Northern region, and the Sawla Tuna-Kalba district of the Savannah region for their contributions towards the response against COVID-19.

The awardees were Ms Shamsia Kpeilu, Ms Angela Ama Ababio, Ms Amadu Latifa, Ms Maria Abukari, Ms Dorcas Bonsu, Ms Ruth Nyekanga Lemanso and Ms Rebecca Bourowono.

They were given Citations of Honour, food items including; bags of rice and some gallons of oil, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as nose masks, hand sanitizers, hand gloves and other sanitary materials.

The award was part of NORSAAC’s “Enough Project”, which seeks to empower women and girls to exercise their rights to fight sexual and gender-based violence in society.

It is being implemented in the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Zabzugu and Sawla Tuna-Kalba districts, with funding support from the European Union (EU) through a consortium of Oxfam and Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF).

Mr Abdulai Nashiru, Enough Project Manager, explained that the award was also to celebrate this year’s Mothers’ Day and to recognize the roles of frontline female health workers who double as nursing mothers in their quest to defeat the COVID-19 in their communities.

He said “We are showing our appreciation and support to them for the efforts they are putting to fight the virus and also the provision of antenatal and maternal care to their clients, thus, they have an increase risk of contracting the virus because of the nature of their work.”

Dr Francis Sowah Ali, the Tamale Metropolitan Director of Health, expressed gratitude to NORSAAC for the initiative, adding that it would motivate health workers to give off their best in providing health care services to the citizenry.

He encouraged health workers to continue working to help win the fight against the coronavirus in their communities.

Mr Abemiga Abopeelum Jefred, Zabzugu District Disease Control Officer, advised citizens to continue to abide by the preventive measures instituted by the GHS and the World Health Organization (WHO) to help combat the spread of the virus.

Ms Maria Abukari who spoke on behalf of the awardees expressed appreciation to NORSAAC for the gesture, and said it would encourage them to work hard to improve on the health needs of their clients.