BRAC uses okada riders to spread COVID-19 messages

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The Management of BRAC Sierra Leone is targeting 10 communities in the Western Area with coronavirus messages using commercial bike riders. At their Wilkinson Road head Office the Country Director of BRAC Sierra Leone, Andrew Chikopo, revealed that since the outbreak of COVID-19 to date they had been working closely with government to contain the spread of the disease. He said their community approach to the disease will focus on radio jingles, patrol sensitizations and the use of commercial motor bike riders. Chikopo said they are working with commercial motorbike riders because motorcycles are the main source of transportation to many communities. The BRAC Country Director said they had reduced staffing in the office and had asked them to work from home hence, they have been providing them with hand washing facilities and sanitizers to keep them and their family safe. He said all messages will be developed by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and training of those community educators were done by the ministry stressing that they had provided water basins for the bikes to encourage and promote hand washing. Member of the Communication unit in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Fafia Bona, said they are focused on messaging and anyone doing education should coordinate with the Ministry for the messages to be put out to the public. Bona reminded the BRAC management to be mindful of crowds in their sensitization drives and to make sure the bike riders and staff are trained and certified before they are allowed to engage any community. He reminded them of the disadvantages in the use of hand-gloves especially outside hospital settings and encouraged more hand washing and social distancing. Chair Portee Bike Riders Union, Alie Bangura, said they had refrained from overloading as well as stop the transportation of sick patients on their bike. He said the water basin from BRAC is to make sure all passengers on their bikes wash their hands and that whenever they are in the community, they will ensure they remind locals about the danger of the disease.

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