UNAMID sensitizes Darfur residents to fight against Covid-19

UNAMID has conducted intensive public sensitization to fight against Covid-19 across Darfur.

More than one million residents from five Darfur states benefitted from the recently concluded month-long Street Publicity Awareness Campaign on the fight against COVID-19.

The public sensitization was organized by UNAMID’s Communications and Public Information Section, in collaboration with the state health authorities in the western region of Sudan.

The campaign, which was led by local health experts from the State Ministries of Health and Social Development, involved the use of megaphones mounted on open vehicles and vans adorned with posters and banners with slogans on the measures to mitigate and fight against COVID-19, that has so far claimed more than four hundred lives by mid-June 2020.

It was conducted in towns, neighborhoods and outskirts, districts, markets and in 10 internally displaced persons camps across Darfur.

Towns covered included El Fasher Zalingei, El Geneina, Nyala and El Daein.

The IDPs Camps covered comprised Aboushouk and Al Salaam, Hamidiya, Khamsadagaig, Al Salaam, Hasa Hissa and Tayba, Dereig and Al Salaam, and Naeem.

Anecdotal feedback received indicate that the SPAC message reached over one million residents in the targeted areas with the following breakdown: 300,000 in South Darfur, 100,000 in North Darfur, 220,000 in Central Darfur and 350,000 in East Darfur. Overall Darfur population is estimated at 9 million.

Mr. Mohammed Yahia, the Deputy Director General of West Darfur Ministry of Health and Social Development, extended his appreciation to UNAMID for supporting the Transitional Government of Sudan (TGoS) in the ongoing efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The campaign has really brought home the devastating effect of COVID-19. Through this street publicity, the message has reached people in the districts, IDPs camps, markets and farmers in the areas on the outskirts of El Geneina town, to places where we could not reach with our means, “Mr. Yahia revealed.

Mr. Adam Arbab Sheikh, a student at the El Imam El Kassim School in El Geneina, west Darfur, who resides in one of the IDPs Camps in the town, stressed the importance of disseminating more information on the negative impact the novel corona virus has on people’s lives, especially the vulnerable people living in the IDPs camps.

He commended UNAMID and the state Ministry of Health for allocating two days for the Campaign at the school, calling on the urgent need to provide masks to the residents, as these items are not readily available in the local shops.

A member of the health ministry in El Daien, east Darfur, who preferred anonymity, stated that the campaign, conducted in 10 El Daein residential areas, Buat and Sarhan villages in Bahar EL Arab locality, Abumatariq town, Kario camp for refugees, Algalabi administrative unit and Naeem IDPs camp, has had a significant impact on the way people embraced some of the long observed cultural approaches.

He added that it should now be avoided in this time of COVID-19, like shaking hands or participating in activities in a crowded environment without wearing masks or hand hygiene observance.

Ms. Hawa Ismael, a vegetable trader in Nyala, in south Darfur said the Street Publicity Campaign enhanced their knowledge on COVID-19.

“We have heard people talk about this disease, but people here in the market have limited knowledge about it – how to prevent or event treat it.

“However, through this Street Publicity Awareness Campaign, the presentations given and the COVID-19 song from Omar Ishas and Shmuz, we gained further information to protect ourselves and help other people to deal with this disease,” she said.

UNAMID continues to work closely with the Transitional Government of Sudan (TGOS) in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic through various types of support including, amongst others, provision of PPE, generators, freezers, air conditioners, transportation of blood samples from Darfur to the Sudanese capital Khartoum, reconnaissance flights to the country’s Darfur borders with neighboring countries to assess level of preparedness to combat COVID-19.