AMUZI TO LAUNCH OZONDU (FACE MASK), FOR ALL, AND MAKE HISTORY AS FIRST AFRICAN COMMUNITY TO BE FULLY MASKED AGAINST COVID-19
Amuzi Ahiazu-Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria, May 26, 2020: The Patriotic Citizens of Amuzi (PCA), a nongovernmental organization based in Amuzi, Ahiazu-Mbaise of Imo State, is set to launch “Ozondu”, a brand of locally produced face mask, and distribute them, free, to all members of the community at risk of exposure to COVID-19. The launch is scheduled to kick-off at 2 PM on Friday May 29. Due to the historic nature of the program titled “Ozondu for All” event, it is expected to attract very important personalities, traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, such as the member representing Ahiazu Local Government Area (LGA) at the Imo House of Assembly Hon. Sam Otuibe, the Ahiazu LGA Chairman Hon Chief Larrymore Chikwe and his Councilors, the Chairman of Ahiazu Council of traditional rulers HRH Eze D.S. Mmadinaobi, Amuzi traditional ruler HRH Eze Innocent Ugochukwu, the Odu-na-Izuoha traditional ruler HRH Eze Dr. D.C. Okoronkwo, the Offor-ise traditional rulers, the Coordinator Ahiazu LGA COVID-19 Task Force Comrade Jack Ezenwa Anyanwu, President General of the Amuzi Progressive Union (APU) Barr Chukwuma Onyeocha, Chairmen of the ten villages of Amuzi, the PCA Central Working Committee (CWC) and others. Also to feature is a landmark health talk by an accomplished son of Amuzi, a Public Health Physician, Epidermiologist and Health System Expert, Dr. Chinemerem Dan Onwuliri MBBS (Jos) MPH (Hopkins) MWACP. He is also the NCDC COVID-19 Rapid Response Team Leader in Imo State.
This program was initiated as the world grapples with finding the best mitigation strategies against the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Meanwhile, local and international health agencies have recommended various precautionary measures to safeguard individuals from infection and dissemination of the disease. Among the recommendations is a lockdown requiring people to Stay Home, except for essential trips, such as food purchases and medical care. If one must leave home, it is recommended to observe social distancing, which means keeping six (6) feet apart from others, and wear a cloth face covering. Among all these precautionary recommendations, the lockdown, has proven the most challenging for a rural agrarian religious African community like Amuzi. People live mostly day-by-day. They must go either to the farm or market every day for daily livelihood, failure of which may lead to starvation and death. Most will say they fear “Hunger Virus” more than Corona Virus. Also not going to Church, as a solution to any problems, has never been contemplated by most, ever. As a result, the Stay Home, recommendation is largely not adhered to, making face mask wearing the next best option for them to safely maintain, some semblance of normalcy in their lives.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention recommends that everyone wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other physical distancing measures would be difficult to maintain. These covers are not a replacement for social distancing and meticulous hand washing. Cloth face covers are most effective when they are correctly worn and properly cleaned and maintained. Nevertheless, wearing face mask as recommended is not yet a habit, most members of the community do not have the resources to acquire them , nor see it as a family budget priority. To ameliorate these harsh public health, physical and psychological realities, the local Non-Governmental-Organization, the Patriotic Citizens of Amuzi (PCA), initiated a project “Ozondu for All”. to give out cloth face masks, which it branded “Ozondu”-life saver, to every member of the community at risk for COVID 19 exposure. This will make Amuzi, the First African community to be completely masked for COVID-19.
In addition to the Ozondu (face mask), other tools to fortify the community against COVID-19, such as hand-washing buckets with taps, soaps and sanitizers, will be issued to every kindred in the community. It is interesting to observe that both the Ozondu face masks and the PCA branded sanitizers for distribution at the launch are manufactured in this enterprising Amuzi community. This “Ozondu for All” project team is led by the PCA Health Committee Chairwoman Mrs Catherine Otuibe, in collaboration with the PCA Central Working Committee (CWC). The PCA Convener Professor Eddie Oparaoji, also Chairman of Mbaise Policy Roundtable is the host of this historic event.
Click link below to PCA history making covid 19 Ozondu initiative Photo Album.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16ybhCNGlQxWFBDKUcxStptfw6h4ruu1B?usp=sharing
Patriotic Citizens of Amuzi 