COVID-19 Initiative Fighting Stigmatisation, Discrimination Enters 3rd Phase

An initiative to combat stigmatisation and discrimination against COVID-19 survivors has entered the third phase.
Dubbed “Say No To Stigmatisation and Discrimination (SCED) Challenge”, the initiative is spearheaded by the Health Evolution and Lifestyle Empowerment Hub (HELEH) Africa Foundation and Brands Ambassador Africa Foundation (BAAF), both non-governmental organisations, and partnered by the Ghana Red Cross Society, Oxfam Ghana, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service and the Peruvian Embassy.

The third phase of the campaign, targeted to coincide with one year observance of the outbreak of the pandemic, involves the rolling out of endorsement videos from renowned persons in various sectors.

The Global President of HELEH Africa Foundation, Dr Benedicta Ohene-Manu, said the first video by the Presidential Adviser on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, had already hit the airwaves.

She said the challenge activity comprised a one to two-minute video recording of participants propagating “say no to stigmatisation and discrimination against COVID-19 survivors and celebrating them as heroes.”

In addition, she said the video was to empower “our gallant frontline workers” for their efforts in protecting us from COVID-19. She added that participants would demonstrate their knowledge of the COVID-19 preventative protocols and then contribute their quota as patriotic citizens by donating to support the deprived, the needy and those who had been affected economically by the COVID-19.

She said as part of the programme, the two organisations would hold week-long corporate social entertainment and education activities to mark one year of the outbreak of the pandemic.

Holistic collaboration

Sharing her views on the programme, the Executive Assistant to the Alliance chair, Ms Anamay Giraudy Simono, said, “This is the Alliance's core strategy to inspire a holistic collaboration among its members to realise a comprehensive mechanism aimed at fishing out and revamping or managing COVID-19 affected corporate entities cum individual survivors in order to avert any long-term socioeconomic impact or health complications related to the outbreak”.

She said the campaign was their prime drive to realise the core objective of the alliance and to complement the government’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19 through an all-inclusive approach mainly via social media.

Background

During the phase one, which was the launch of the campaign, the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, gave an assurance that the government would continue to partner relevant organisations in the fight against COVID-19 in the country.

Endorsing the challenge, Mr Hadzide pledged to take part of the challenge which he noted would have a significant impact on the fight against the disease.

The campaign was launched in Accra, on July 16, 2020, on the theme: "Uniting the world to fight a common enemy".

Source: Graphic.com.gh