YDG COVID-19 Campaign

As a network of aspirational emerging leaders in diplomacy, advocacy and political governance, we owe a duty to Ghana and the world to join the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. With our interest in Ghana’s efforts to meet the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development as Ambassadors, we are poised to play our part as young leaders to help curb the spread of the virus to avert its dire consequences on the health of our economic and development trajectory. Hence the birth of the YDG COVID-19 Campaign.


The campaign takes two forms:

COVID-19 EDUCATION

Limited knowledge and misconceptions about the coronavirus has been a key factor leading to the breach of social distancing and other protocols announced by government following the breakout of the virus in Ghana.


Continuously, local media reports indicate that some Ghanaians do not believe in the existence of the virus despite the growing number of cases reported and tracked daily by health stakeholders and the media. The corona virus has been tagged with several myths and misconceptions.


To correct these wrongs, Delegates of Young Diplomats of Ghana seek to educate Ghanaians through short videos produced in Ghanaian languages spoken widely across all 16 regions of Ghana to correct misconceptions and myths about the corona virus.

The videos will highlight important information about the virus and best practices for preventive measures announced by the Ghana Health Service and World Health Organization.


YDG is poised to work with media houses, community leaders and groups including churches, mosques and traditional authorities to support rural communities and vulnerable populations in combating COVID-19.The videos are also to be widely shared on various social media platforms.


DISTRIBUTION OF PPEs:
Following plans by the Government of Ghana to ease virus-related restrictions, wearing of masks has become a mandatory act for all Ghanaians by the Executive Instrument (E.I 164) issued on June 15, 2020. Failure to wear a mask is thus an offence with a punishment of a prison sentence of 4 to 10 years or a fine of GH¢12,000 ($2400) to GH¢60,000 ($12,000) or both.


However,low-income families are unable to commit to the purchase of medically approved face masks. Moreover, lack of adequate PPEs for frontline health workers is a cause of great concern in efforts to combat COVID-19.


The campaign thus seeks to distribute 2 million PPEs to low-income families, health professionals and other frontline workers particularly in rural and deprived communities. This initiative is to ensure that health and frontline workers are well-prepared to respond to pandemic and most importantly curb the spread of the virus from the general public.