Date: 2020-07-22

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Kwara chapter, on Tuesday, took COVID-19 awareness and prevention campaign to Oke-Oye and Oke-Ose in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara.

Mrs Elizabeth Adebola, a member of PSN and Coordinator of the campaign, said that the targets were the community members, road transport workers and market women in the two communities.

She added that the outreach was part of the activities for the 2020 Pharmacy Week and that the campaign included the distribution of face masks, gloves and hand sanitisers across the two communities.

According to her, the communities will be sensitised on the dangers of COVID-19 and how people spread the disease if they don't follow protocols laid down by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

"We are here to sensitise our people on the dangers of COVID-19 pandemic and preventive methods that people should follow.

"We are here to tell people that COVID-19 is real, it is not an imagination of anybody and to advise them on what to do to avoid contracting the disease, " she said.

Adebola noted that the NCDC and Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 with the backing of the Federal Government had enjoined people to imbibe preventive measures against the disease such as hand washing and social distancing.

She advised people not to go out on occasions so much because they could easily spread it among themselves.

The coordinator added that it was important to adhere to measures as it was difficult to tell who had the virus and who did not have in a crowd of people.

Mr Shuaib Opola, a member of National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) in Oke-Oye community, said that the union had been active in ensuring that drivers and commuters kept the guidelines on COVID-19.

He explained that passengers who refused to wear face mask were not allowed in commercial buses, while drivers were mandated to wear a mask and carry hand sanitisers.