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By Pierre Njie
The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the Gambia Police Force (GPF) and the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) have on Thursday donated 50, 000 face masks to 19 markets in the Kanifing Municipality.
The donation is part of the council’s efforts towards combating the COVID-19 pandemic in the Municipality.
According to officials, Pillar No. 2 of the Council’s emergency action plan for COVID-19 is to launch an initiative to distribute 50,000 face masks among 19 markets in the Municipality.
“KM’s emergency action plans for COVID-19 is composed on 3 pillars, namely public sensitization, stop the spread, as well as to ease the economic and hunger burden. Under pillar 2, the council is launching an initiative today to distribute 50,000 face masks in the KM’s 19 markets,” said Lord Mayor Talib Bensouda.
He challenged the private sector and other development partners to support the council’s goal of distributing the 50,000 face masks, adding that the council has worked with the Ministry of Health (MoH) in order to identify areas that are much in need of the face masks.
He however encourages the market vendors to effectively use the face masks and be washing them daily.
On her part, Sainabou Martin Sonko, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kanifing Municipality said COVID-19 has posed one of the greatest threats to our existence across the globe.
She called on all and sundry to maintain social distancing and remain indoors in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Ndey-Fatou Njie, founder of Tiga and also a representative from the Gambia Tailoring Association (GTS) observed that face masks are essential at these trying times of COVID-19.
Musa Camara, Regional Principal Public Health Office (RPPHO) said COVID-19 is a common enemy thus needed to fight together. He added: “COVID-19 knows no boundary, but through concerted efforts we will make headways.”