A Non Governmental Organization, The Dayyabu Garga Foundation has called on the public to be more aware and take seriously the rising case of the COVID-19 in Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole.

This the Foundation said is as a result of the daily confirmation of the cases and rapid rise among citizens which it attributed to the Plateau State Government’s directive to its workforce to go for compulsory testing for the virus.

In a statement signed by the Foundation’s Chairman/Founder Dr Dayyabu Yusuf Garga and issued to Newsmen in Jos the state capital it cautioned citizens on the increasing non adherence to the safety protocols issued by relevant authorities which has seen people living their lives largely in defiance of such safety measures.

Mindful of the current challenges facing citizens in respect of means of livelihood, the foundation stressed that it has become necessary to remind people of the increasing dangers of COVID-19 which no doubt is still a global pandemic.

Sustained regular hand washing,use of hand sanitizers, face masks,social distancing and other protocols must continue to be pushed for as reechoed by the foundation to prevent further spread.

In the meantime, the Dayyabu Garga Foundation has also commended the Plateau State Government on the directive to its workforce to undergo compulsory screening for COVID-19 in the state.

It said Governor simon Lalong took the right step by giving the directive as that has further proven that there are citizens who have the virus but do not know which has also translated to them accessing treatment.

It said early detection of the virus enables one recover faster from the virus and also guards against transmission which has been seen to be at an alarming rate in the country.

Further more it stressed that COVID-19 is not a death sentence as been feared by many because the recovery rate far outweighs the casualties hence the need to visit designated health centers to access testing and management.

“Dayyabu Garga Foundation therefore calls for an aggressive stepping down of the testing açross the seventeen LGAs of the state as the directive has shown Government’s genuine desire to address it”

We are also calling on citizens to apart from having access to the. testing,activate proper hygiene as a way to protect themselves

The foundation added that it has already activated its Public Enlightenment and Education Directorate to also assist disseminating accurate and timely information which will compliment activities of other stakeholders.

This is to be carried out as one of the core mandates of the foundation and expected to be done across the entire state.

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RISING CASES OF COVID-19 IN THE STATE.FOUNDATION CALLS FOR CAUTION, COMMENDS GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS AT MASS TESTING.