By: Kebba AF Touray
Omar Ceesay, the National Assembly Member for Niamina East, has called for a timeline in the implementation of the preventive measures of COVID-19, as recommended by the Legislative Committee on Health. Ceesay said this during the debate on the Committee’s Report on their just concluded visit to border entry points to assess the level of preparedness in preventing COVID-19 spread in the country.
“The issue at hand is very critical and the magnitude in which the virus is moving from one geographical area to the other is rapid. As a result, there is need for everyone to adhere to the timely recommendations of the Committee. They have developed substantial recommendations and in my view, there should be a timeline or period for the implementation of the recommendations. This will help in making follow ups to know the level of implementation of the recommendations,” Ceesay said; that it will also assist in achieving the purpose for which the recommendations have been developed; that next time, when making such recommendations, they should stipulate time bounds for which such recommendations should be implemented.
He decried that one Public Health Officer is not enough to handle the Giboro Border Post, considering the population density and busy nature of the settlement. He suggested that public health workers be increased to ensure effective service delivery to all residents.
“The way COVID-19 transfers from one person to the other is sensitive. There is need to analyze the situation at hand and consider providing health officials at border entry points to effectively screen incoming visitors aside from the border closure,” he said.
Ceesay reiterated the need to effectively sensitize the general public especially those in provincial Gambia on the dangers of coronavirus and its protective measures so that they can help themselves to prevent the disease.
He implored the Ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs and Finance to work together and consider Gambians in the diaspora by monitoring them as well; that this is because they are Gambian citizens who might come to the country and can make the country vulnerable.
