Inspiring citizens to fight against COVID-19: Irfaan Ali, BJ leading from the front

Apr 06, 2020 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Before this COVID-19 crisis ends, Guyana would be recognized for a best-practice. The Guyana Mask-Up – I Protect You, You Protect Me Campaign is on a mission to ensure every Guyanese has possession of locally-made masks for use whenever citizens are out or for use at home or other places where risks might exist. A handful of other countries have embarked on a mask-up campaign. South Korea, Iceland, Singapore, India, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan have done so, mainly using factory-made surgical masks. America has now joined the handful of countries. In America, the supply of factory-made surgical masks is limited and, thus, citizens have started the home-made masks and distributing to hospitals and health workers. Guyana’s Mask-Up Campaign is using 100% locally made masks. Citizens are using their sewing machines, they are donating fabric or money to buy fabrics. Citizens are uniting to fight COVID-19.
The Guyana Mask-Up Campaign is a national effort, with the goal of ensuring every citizen has a mask to use, an initiative driven by the National COVID-19 Forum established by Drs. Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo. This is what leadership looks like. Even in the midst of the fight to preserve our democracy, even with Guyana facing various non-COVID-19 crises, these leaders have stepped-up to the plate.
COVID-19 is a global health crisis. Guyana is confronted by the COVID-19 health crisis. Indeed, COVID-19 is now an existential crisis for Guyana and for the world. Already, of the miserly 80 people tested, 23 have tested positive. Unfortunately, four of our citizens have died. Without being critical of the national response, there is a need for a more cohesive and aggressive confrontation of COVID-19 in Guyana. Dr. Irfaan Ali has not said anything critical about the national response. Instead, he has organised his party’s colleagues and persons outside of his party into a National COVID-19 Forum for the purpose of supporting the national response. The General Secretary of the PPP has thrown the considerable human resources and other resources of the PPP behind the COVID-19 National Forum. On a daily basis, these leaders are assuring the Guyanese people they are by their sides, helping to ensure that COVID-19 does not overwhelm the nation. They are leading from the front, visible.
The National COVID-19 Forum is working diligently at the moment promoting a number of initiatives to support the national response to stop COVID-19. One of these initiatives is the Guyana Mask-Up Campaign. The campaign is already mobilising people around the country, inspiring them to become part of the fight to stop COVID-19. The campaign is encouraging every citizen to mask-up every time they leave home and even in homes or other buildings where circumstances necessitate the use of masks. Recognising the shortage in the health sector for masks, the National COVID-19 Forum is designed not to pressure the national supply for factory-made, imported N95 masks and surgical masks. The Forum decided that the meager supply for these items should be available 100% for the health sector. Instead, the National COVID-19 Forum embarked on the local production of masks, using local supply of fabrics in the stores and using the seamstresses and garment factories.
By the end of today more than 10,000 locally made masks would already have been distributed. The Forum is distributing masks to police officers, to health care providers who have limited supply, to market vendors and to citizens in general. Bharrat Jagdeo is daily encouraging people to use masks. Irfaan Ali has gone out into the communities personally distributing masks. Every citizen is inspired in doing his or her part. Some are sewing, some are donating, some are out helping with distribution. It is good to see the out-front leadership being shown. Lives will be saved, the health sector will benefit from fewer people coming to them because of a simple campaign.
In addition, the Forum is engaged in several other initiatives. One of these initiatives is education and awareness. There is an aggressive education and awareness campaign presently being pushed by the Forum which is supporting the overall National Response. The awareness and education programme is promoting social distancing, encouraging people to keep distance, to stay home, how to use good hygiene, how to safely use public transportation, etc.
One critical element of the National Response has to be socio-economic support for people. People are hurting, some people already have a major problem with providing food for their families. The Forum will not be able to solve this problem. Only governments can do so. Thus far, the government has been silent on this matter. In the short-term, with limited resources, the Forum has been helping a small number of families. Right now Food banks around the country, providing groceries for people has become a big part of the fight. The Forum is appealing to the Government to intervene now.
The establishment of an on-line medical consultation team already has received thousands of calls from citizens. This team has been mobilised through the forum and is able to answer people’s queries. This is a critical component of the national response. The national Hotlines established by the government is important, but, thus far, people have expressed grave concerns about the help they get from the National Hotlines. These concerns must be addressed. In the meanwhile, the National COVID-19 Forum’s medical online team is filling a vacuum.
In the midst of continued gloom in Guyana, the leadership shown by Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali in the fight against COVID-19 offers a glimmer of hope. With initiatives like the Mask-Up Campaign, not only has Guyana emerged with a best-practice in the fight against COVID-19, but we have inspired our people, no matter what their race or religion or who they voted for.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

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