COVID-19 is the most pressing issue of global community as it still continues snatching the lives of millions of people. As many people agreed, the only possible way to stop the spread of the virus and to stay safe is to exercise the simple COVID-19 precaution measures, since there is still no cure for the pandemic and the economic cost of the treatments is too high to bear.
However, while the pandemic is still surfacing comfortably, countries are taking COVID-19 precautions measures as a resort and viable approach and advising their people to exercise them effectively.
Ethiopia, as part of other countries, is urging its people to apply the measures more strictly than ever before to contain the spread of the pandemic.
Concurrent to this, recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen has launched a two-month national, regional and multi-tasking initiative to strengthen the overall response to the COVID-19 movement thereby mitigating the ever increasing spread of the virus.
In a virtual discussion with the National COVID-19 Task Force, State Administrations and representatives of various sector offices, the Minister said that the ever increasing spread of the current COVID-19 situation cannot be resolved with the response measures that the country is implementing now. Thus, it is important to encompass comprehensive response initiative contemporaneously to the health sector.
As to him, the leadership at all levels and all concerned parties as well as the public should pay close attention to the success of the movement taking into account the current international and national situation of the pandemic.
He said media and communication professionals, along with artists and influential individuals, religious leaders and other stakeholders, should focus on alerting the public towards the severe impacts of the pandemic.
Underscoring the critical importance of exercising COVID-19 standards, he said that taking appropriate measures on those institutions who fail to execute the regulation is equally important.
Presenting the detailed plan of the two months national movement, Health Minister Lia Tadesse on her part said that containing the ever increasing spread of the Coronavirus is of great concern. To this effect, averting the spread of the virus, reducing death rate, strengthening multi-sectoral response, increasing treatment access to intensive care COVID patients, conducting integrated awareness creation and law enforcement movements, enhancing diagnostic capacity and inoculation coverage are amongst the priority areas that should be put in to practice.
As to her, the movement will mainly focus on house-to-house assessments, proper application of facemasks and physical distancing, and enhancing the daily of COVID-19 diagnostic capacity.
Once the two months movement is evaluated and the necessary amendment is made, the response will further continue, the Minister added.
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
The Ethiopian Herald May 20/2021
