BENIN CITY- In its bid to curtail the spread of novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Edo State Branch, yesterday engaged in aggressive fumigation and donation of hand hygiene items and environmental sanitation materials to the Nigerian Correctional Service, Medium Security Custodial Centre, Benin City.

Items donated include brooms, hand gloves, hand wash liquid soap, buckets, shovels and hand bills on COVID-19.

Speaking to journalists at the premises of Benin custodial Centre along Sapele road, the State Chairman, Mr. Festus Alenkhe said that the Red Cross Society as an International Humanitarian Organisation, is commited to the up-keep of the people globally.

“We decided to also join the league to protect the inmates and officials against contracting the pandemic, hence we have engaged in thorough fumigation of all the correctional cells in Benin City specially the Benin Custodial Centre, along Sapele Road.

“For us as an organisation, fumigating the facility is one of the ways we can cultail the spread of the disease.

“Our resolve is to join Federal and State Governments as stakeholders in ensuring that coronavirus is adequately checked from spreading continuously in Nigeria”, he disclosed

While disclosing that his organisation has concluded plans to extend such gestures to the Police Command Headquarters in the state as well as other strategic detention areas in Benin City, Mr. Alenkhe advised officials of the NCS to always take precautionary measures against COVID-19 seriously and report any suspecting case to the appropriate authorities.

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Speaking also, the State Secretary of the Organisation, Mr. Wilson Ekhomogiazin, said that the organisation is poised to halting the spread of COVID-19 through publicity awareness, house -to -house health education as well vas the provision and installation of hand washing sets.

He said, the Nigerian Red Cross Society response strategy focuses on the following priorities areas such as; Risk Communication, Sensitization and Community Engagement, Hygiene Promotion, Psychosocial Support, Contact Tracing and Active Case Surveillance, Mass Care, Ambulance Services, Transportation, Funeral and Burials, Support for IDPs, Old People, Persons living with Disabilities, Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

Responding, the Assistant Controller of Corrections, Benin Custodial Centre, Mrs.Okabo Gladys, thanked the leadership of Festus Alenkhe for the gesture, noting that such gestures would go a long way in protecting the inmates and officials against the viral disease, just as she called for more assistance from other stakeholders in the state.

Reacting also, the Deputy Superintendent of Corrections, Benin City, Aminu Sumaila Sulaman, commended the organisation for having the service in mind.

“Because, this kind of partnership is what is required to move forward in the fight against COVID-19.

“This will go a long way to compliment Benin Custodial Centre in terms of combating Coronavirus from affecting inmates and officials.

He, however, appealed to other stakeholders to join in the fight against pandemic that is currently ravaging the world.