Some 27 men and   women at the Bamenda-food market, North West Region of Cameroon have received facemasks to help  protect themselves from the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Some market women displaying the kits they received

This was a  gesture from the Centre for Strategic Communication, Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development, CESCOMPSUD through their Executive Director Mrs Rosaline Obah represented at this activity by one of the Center’s Volunteers, Pechuqui Laurata.

According to the Executive Director of CESCOMPSUD, Rosaline Akah Obah, traders stand the risk of being infected by the virus since they come in contact with different sets of people on daily basis. “It doesn’t only end there, they bargain with their customers and touch each other’s hands,” she said.

CESCOMPSUD handing facemask to a trader

This distribution  comes at a time when the number of cases of people infected with the coronavirus  disease is on the rise in the country with some cases recorded in The Litoral and West regions.

These women were cautioned by Pechuqui Laurata who represented CESCOMPSUD to be on guard and keep respecting the barrier measures put in place by the government and the World Health Organization. She went further to school the women and men on how to put on the facemask and how greatly it will help save their families and customers.

So far, Cameroon has recorded over 22,000 cases of infected person’s with the virus since it’s outbreak in March.

Though the people can easily avoid getting infected, many have refused to put on a facemask. Some have taken the facemask in Bamenda as a chin mask. All these and others not mentioned are believed to have caused the increase in the number of infected persons. However there is an 95% chance that this virus could be a thing of the past if people learn to respect the measures. Nevertheless there is hope as the US has released a vaccine which has been confirmed to be 95%active from The US company Moderna Shows.

As Cameroonians  anticipate  the coming of the vaccine,  the Centre for Strategic Communication, Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development known as CESCOMSUD hopes the facemask shared goes a long way to safe the lives of many.

By Laureta P