Now it is the population's turn to unite and fight against the spread of this pandemic: a campaign has been created, called "Do it for Angola", which aims to strengthen the teams of health professionals and, consequently, to help in the medical assistance of the population, should the epidemic reach our country.
Speaking to VerAngola, Kiassekoka Ndolumingo, one of the health professionals involved in the campaign, explained that everything came "naturally", ensuring that the main objective of the project is "to help the country and the Government in the prevention of possible contamination in case of positive cases being declared in our country".
"We are health technicians trained in the country and he calls us, certainly as patriots we want to obey the call", he added.
Still at a very early stage, the project is being carried out by the non-profit organization LAE-EFTSB - dedicated to helping rural and suburban populations.
But what does it consist of? "The campaign aims to mobilise voluntary health professionals to the Angolans and the Angolan Government" to "combat COVID-19 in a preventive manner and, in the event of positive cases in our country, to support the structures of the State, in whatever way is possible", elucidated the specialist.
For the time being, the project does not yet have the support of the Government, but Kiassekoka Ndolumingo believes that it "will have an influence on the health system, since one of the main problems of the system is the lack of human resources". In "due course" the executive will show its support", he said.
According to Kiassekoka Ndolumingo, the campaign will be divided into two phases: the first, which is already underway in the social networks, serves to call for "the largest number of health professionals" to join. The second phase will be more bureaucratic, as all those interested will be called to go to a physical location to fill out the membership form and receive an "ID as volunteer identity".
And membership has been very positive. In the eyes of the person in charge, the campaign is already a success, since from the first hours of the launch, professionals have been "joining en masse".
However, he considered that it is still early to talk about the numbers of professionals who are already part of 'I do for Angola'. "We expect to reach until the second phase of the campaign more than 1000 health professionals, trained in the various public and private health technical schools. We intend to count on all and at all levels, from the doctor to the cataloger. Everyone is important and indispensable," he told VerAngola.
In logistical terms, he said the project will need basic protection products, such as gloves and masks, as volunteers will be "providing technical and medical assistance" to the population. Support from "central and local state bodies and private entities" will also be important if the project is to move forward.
Regarding the general panorama of Covid-19 in Angola, the specialist stressed that the greatest concern for now is to combat the spread of false information: "Knowing that there are no positive cases in our country, my greatest concern is the issue of false information that is circulating on social networks. There is a lot of misinformation circulating and it is worrying".
He also considered that the possible "scarcity of personal protective materials such as masks, gloves and disinfectants" might also raise some concern, but he says he is optimistic that the latest measures adopted by the executive were the most prudent step to take at this time.
If you are interested in joining this campaign you can do so by sending your full name, profession, telephone number and address to these numbers: 938 352 200, 995 724 569, 990 094 995, 932 094 995, 921 883 305, 912 073 701, 923 399 082 or 913 238 674.
