Caritas South Sudan Launches Six-Month COVID-19 Awareness Campaign

“The campaign will continue for the next six months and face masks and gloves will be provided to staff and volunteers during food and non-food distribution in the dioceses,” Pasquale said.

As a way to draw attention to information about the risks of the disease, Pasquale said, the Catholic entity he coordinates has printed banners bearing awareness messages on COVID-19 and that IEC materials had been distributed in the seven dioceses besides hygienic materials like hand sanitizers and soap.”

As of Thursday, June 25, South Sudan had recorded 1,942 COVID-19 cases, 36 related fatalities and 224 recoveries from the pandemic.

Although Caritas South Sudan “developed a simplified version of key messages”, the Caritas Coordinator told ACI Africa that the body has “adopted the WHO and the MOH (Ministry of Health) instructions on the coronavirus.”

“Caritas has developed a simplified version of key messages to members of the public on key messages including COVID-19 symptoms such as dry cough, high fever and how they should stay at home and avoid large gatherings,” said Pasquale.

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“The materials are displayed in central places including community centers, schools, food distribution centers, and health facilities,” he said and added, “Caritas has prepared several awareness posters with clear messages on how to prevent the spread of the disease.”

Pasquale further said, “Preventive and safety measures put in place include availability of handwashing facilities, hand sanitizers and social distance measures in the offices against the novel coronavirus.”

In the offices of Caritas South Sudan and other Catholic institutions, the Humanitarian Coordinator said the practice to measure body temperature is made compulsory at the reception points before entry of personnel.

Additionally, Pasquale said, the provision is that “non-essential staff are asked to stay and work from home in order to reduce the number of employees in the offices.”