The Somaliland Commission for Prevention and Preparedness of Covid-19, recently tasked to prevent the spread of Corona-virus disease 2019 infection, on Tuesday imposed new restrictions designed to prevent that disease..
Officials in the committee who spoke to reporters in the city of Hargeisa announced that the ban now extends to all kinds of Marfash (Qat-chewing rooms) across the country as well as to the public places.
Creation of Special Forces dealing with the containment of this epidemic corona-virus disease and people who do not comply with orders issued by the commission was revealed. Mohamed Kaahin – Minister of Interior – said that such Special Forces will be deployed in the markets starting Wednesday. The minister did not elaborate on the make-up and composition of this new force whether it would drawn from the police force or the military forces.
The minister continued stressing that businesses increasing the prices of essential foods by taking advantage of the current situation would be disclosed to the public through the local press. “Legal action will be taken against anyone who violates the recent measures meant to curb and control this epidemic” the committee said in a statement today.
According to the statement, no one has been diagnosed with the disease in Somaliland, despite unconfirmed reports published by some news outlets in the web, claiming suspected individuals were detained and quarantined at the Egal International airport in Hargeisa yesterday, after disembarking an Ethiopian flight from Addis Abba.
“As a committee we will intensify our efforts and the public should be vigilant and careful not to go to the meeting places,” the press release added.
Finally, the committee announced that they will soon make decisions on public transportation such as buses and taxis, which are believed to be able to contribute to the spread of the viral disease.
In the past, the government of the Republic of Somaliland has closed schools and universities across the country and also banned all public gatherings for four weeks. The meetings of the Somaliland parliament has been suspended as well. The government has taken this step after Corona-virus cases was confirmed at neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Somalia.
As a prominent veteran healthcare and the founder of Edna Maternity University, Dr. Edna Adan Ismail, accepted the challenge and responsibility by offering awareness message as to the hand hygiene amid covid-19 epidemic in video publicized over the social media.
On the hand local governments nationwide instituted improvised measures at local levels aimed to prevent this disease. For instance, Lasanod local government have installed more than 100 hand-washing portables at public places and main streets in the city, as a precaution against Corona Virus disease outbreak. It is a small gesture that reinforces awareness and consciousness in the public.
Patriotic citizens like Yahya are doing their part too. He is a tailor in Hargeisa who sewed medical clothe masks that are cheaper the than imported ones in the market. Somaliland has enormous creative and innovative young men and women who merely need encouraging regulations and accessing private or public funding for their projects. Even though this may not meet the medical standards established by World Health Organization or other regional or national regulating bodies for such medical supplies, using such type of masks still help reducing airborne and droplet borne infections due to coughing and sneezing in public venues.
Ahmed J Yassin (SII member)