BY BIDEMI NELSON
There have been several scenarios that have pointed to disturbing levels of illiteracy as regards the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Engaging in joint recreational activities during lockdowns, the refusal to self-isolate despite being exposed to the virus, travelling from high risk areas to low risk areas without scruples and even visiting private hospitals when you show symptoms similar to the coronavirus infection just to avoid stigmatization, are clear signs of illiteracy. The channels of communication should go beyond mass media and incorporate community and religious leadership for better compliance outcomes. The reasons are the epileptic power supply which hinders health guidelines from reaching its intended audience and also because of the strong influence wielded by community and religious leaders which can be leveraged for information and sensitization purposes. In addition, expounding on stigmatization issues, self-medication and reporting procedures are vital especially since infected people and their families should not just show up at hospitals.
Virtually every part of the world has experienced lockdown restrictions, partially or completely, basically to mitigate the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While many countries and their states have implemented the lockdown restrictions and increased border closures, the lack of synchronization in their enforcement across states, have not only disoriented the masses but likewise buckled anticipated results.
Widely, especially in Nigeria, lockdowns are seen as nostrums and are treated as such. This attitude, the masses justify for reasons such as poverty, unemployment and wide spread uncertainty about the virus’ existence.
The obvious results of this attitude are that people flout lockdown restrictions blatantly by disregarding public health regulations concerning the “Stay at Home” order, social distancing and hygiene requirements, among others.
Alarmingly, inter-state migration has also increased with consequences of surges in COVID-19 communal infections. These attitudes and inclinations have gravely endangered health workers and the most vulnerable people of the society, especially the elderly and children.
Surges in communal infections despite lockdown restrictions have been a cause of concern to government and stakeholders in the health sector, among others.
With limited resources to combat the deadly disease, there is need to address reasons for infection surges despite initiated measures. First, the lack of synchronization of lockdown restrictions across countries of the world is a problem.
In Nigeria for instance, some states have enforced complete lockdown restrictions while many others have only enforced partial lockdown restrictions with some other states not even enforcing any form of restriction.
For states enforcing partial and no lockdown restrictions, there is need to consider the objective of measures in the first place.
Lockdown restrictions are supposed to reduce the likelihood of people interacting with other people and surfaces that could be carrying the dreaded COVID-19 virus, thereby ensuring that it is contained as much as possible.
During this period, it is expected that the virus will run its course in people who are asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic while contaminated surfaces will also be de-contaminated using general sanitization procedures.
However, this objective may not readily be achieved if lockdown restrictions are not enforced similarly and simultaneously. Ultimately, for lockdown restrictions to be effective and not extended beyond people’s elastic limits, it must emanate from a central source of authority.
This authority however, must ensure that provisions are made for everyone during this period as people not reasonably catered for will eventually be the ones to compromise the whole process and get everyone back to square one.
Lockdown restrictions come with challenges especially in countries with deep-seated poverty and illiteracy. Signs of poverty are evident by the high number of families who depend on daily income, usually contributed by family members including the children.
Similarly, in Northern Nigeria, one of the obvious signs of poverty is the escalating numbers of Almanjiri children whose increased risks of exposure to the virus have led to their subsequent evacuation.
However, families and children who are ravaged by poverty are part of our communities and should be protected during this pandemic. In fact, they should be prioritized the most, in aid programs.
When hunger issues are tackled within this group, it is easier to secure their compliance to health directives. Obviously, aid provisions should not only include food but important health supplies such as face masks, soaps and hand sanitizers.
The directives on their usage should also be made known to the beneficiaries. Furthermore, communication strategies used at these times are important to combat illiteracy problems that keep increasing community infections.
Illiteracy is not necessarily being uneducated but the absence of requisite knowledge about an issue to the extent that it elicits counter-productive behaviors.
There have been several scenarios that have pointed to disturbing levels of illiteracy as regards the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
Engaging in joint recreational activities during lockdowns, the refusal to self-isolate despite being exposed to the virus, travelling from high risk areas to low risk areas without scruples and even visiting private hospitals when you show symptoms similar to the coronavirus infection just to avoid stigmatization, are clear signs of illiteracy.
The channels of communication should go beyond mass media and incorporate community and religious leadership for better compliance outcomes.
The reasons are the epileptic power supply which hinders health guidelines from reaching its intended audience and also because of the strong influence wielded by community and religious leaders which can be leveraged for information and sensitization purposes.
In addition, expounding on stigmatization issues, self-medication and reporting procedures are vital especially since infected people and their families should not just show up at hospitals.
Lockdowns will not last forever but can be extended if people continually and recklessly flout its guidelines. With more cohesiveness in communicating and enforcing lockdown restrictions, we just might beat the virus before its awaited vaccine does.
Bidemi Nelson is a public affairs commentator and the Chief Executive Officer of Shield of Innocence Initiative, based in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. She can be reached at Phone Number: +2348033656954, www.facebook.com/shieldoi, www.instagram.com/shieldoi and www.twitter.com/shieldoi1.
