Diasporans join the fight against coronavirus pandemic

Asankrangwa Kroye Kuo based in the United States of America (USA) and its members have made a donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies to the Wassa Amenfi West Health Directorate to complement government's efforts in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

The items included ten infrared thermometers and 3000 locally made face masks valued over GHC12000.00 to be distributed among the communities and institutions in the District.

Prior to this, the members of the Kroye Kuo had donated four X-ray machines, supported the building of a diagnostic center with GHC50,000.00 as well as tiling the floors of the Asankrangwa District Hospital.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency after donating the items, Mr Yaw Asamoah Bandah, a Technical Committee Member of the group, said the donation formed part of the group’s contribution to encourage the community members to adhere to good personal hygiene principles, especially in public places as instructed by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

He explained that the group is made up of natives of Asankragwa living in the United States of America, who have come together to help support the development of Asankrangwa, and appealed to Ghanaians living abroad to come and support their communities in the fight against the pandemic.

Mr Asamoah observed that the protocols, which were regular hand washing with soap under running water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, avoiding handshakes, social distancing and avoiding crowded places, were the surest way to control the spread of the virus.

He, therefore, entreated all residents in the District to abide by all the directives issued by both the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the central government to curtail the spread of the virus, so that things would be normalized in the country.

The Municipal Health Director of Amenfi West, Mrs Mary Magdalene Arthur, who received the items on behalf of the Directorate, thanked the group for the kind gesture and also appealed to other associations to help, since they were not in normal times.

He said, "we all need to do whatever it takes to ensure we overcome this battle of COVID-19, if not stemmed, it will have a huge negative impact on the most vulnerable communities, as well as poses a risk to efforts and progress to defeat poverty".