Coronavirus awareness drive in union councils 4, 5

Rawalpindi : With the support of Ministry of Climate Change members of civil society and local non-governmental organisations reached out around 50,000 residents of union councils 4 and 5 and shared live-saving COVID-19 prevention tips raising awareness among them as part of a larger effort to drive social change about coronavirus.

The drive was launched in collaboration with Aman Foundation, Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust, Rawalpindi Waste Management Company, National Clinic Centre and UN-Habitat. As part of the drive masks and sanitisers were distributed among the residents of these union councils.

The residents were apprised that there were more than 45,000 confirmed cases in Pakistan and the coronavirus was spreading fast in the major cities of the country. They were told that Pakistan has a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 and they all have to limit their movement and avoid gatherings to prevent spreading this further.

They were also apprised about the importance of hygiene and healthy habits to avoid spread of coronavirus including frequent hand washing with soap for at least twenty second, or use of sanitisers in absence of water and soap, use of masks and gloves and maintaining safe social distancing.

Speaking on the occasion, National Cleaning and Production Centre Director Irshad Ramay said that the campaign was launched in a couple of union councils of Rawalpindi to create awareness among people as how they could keep themselves safe from coronavirus. He praised the efforts of Aman Foundation, Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust, Rawalpindi Waste Management Company, National Clinic Centre and UN-Habitat in creating awareness among masses over coronavirus. He said mosques and streets of these localities will be cleaned and disinfected on daily basis. He said that after the successful conduct of the campaign in these union councils, the campaign will be further executed in other parts of the country in patronage of Ministry of Climate Change.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust Chief Executive Officer Sumaira Gul said that they were committed to enable communities to cope with this pandemic.

“As WHO has shared public directives and we have to follow those precautionary measures to stop virus transmission and disease spread. Ministry of Climate Change in collaboration with AHKMT, UN-Habitat, Aman Foundation, Rawalpindi Waste Management Company and National Clinic Centre has taken this initiative to create awareness among the common masses by sharing information and highlight the tips and advice to reduce the risk of coronavirus and also provide them sanitisers and masks.