The Mombasa Senator, Mohamed Faki has launched a door-to-door coronavirus (covid-19) sensitization campaign in informal settlements across the coastal city.
Faki said awareness levels of the covid-19 pandemic among the slum dwellers were still very low hence the campaign done in collaboration with community based organizations would bridge the information gaps.
He said numerous misconceptions and myths about coronavirus abound in the slums and called for a strong mass educational and awareness campaign on the nature and mode of the transmission of the virus.
The Senator said poor sanitation, water scarcity, congestion and lack of hygiene materials in slum areas were portent factors in the transmission of covid-19.
While on a visit to the slums Saturday, the senator urged residents to follow the health regulations such as hand washing, social distancing and wearing facemasks set to beat the spread of the contagious disease.
He distributed water tanks, facemasks, hand sanitizers, bar soaps and washing powder to slum dwellers saying majority were unable to afford them.
During his stops in the slum visit, Faki stressed the importance of hand washing as a key prevention measure against covid-19 amongst the dwellers.
He said it was only by strictly following the public health measures that those in congested places like informal settlements “can survive the coronavirus pandemic.”
“Social distancing and self-isolation is near impossible in slums and coronavirus is a waiting time bomb,” he said.
Ali Baba, a community activist who took part in the campaign, called on the county and national governments to work with grassroots organizations in awareness creation.
By Hussein Abdullahi
