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The Association of Women in the Media (ASWIM) has advised market women to heed the advice to practice social distancing and good hygiene to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Mrs Mavis Kitcher, President of AWSIM, urged the market women to regularly wash their hands with soap under running water and the use of alcohol-based sanitizers.

Speaking at a public education programme, organised by ASWIM, with the support of the Information Services Department (ISD) at the Agbogbloshie Market in Accra, Mrs Kitcher said the pandemic was no respecter of persons, hence the need for them to observe all the protocols spelt out by the Ghana Health Service.

She said the disease spread very fast and if they refused to observe good sanitation practices it could claim many lives.

Mrs Kitcher said in view of their regular engagement with the public, if any of them contracted the virus, she could speedily infect her family members, customers and fellow traders.

Hence, she said, the need for them to strictly adhere to good sanitation practices at the market and in their respective homes.

She said when ASWIM secured more hand sanitizers, it would make them available to the traders to help protect them against infection.

Mr Kofi Effah, Communication Officer of Hope for Future Generations (HFFG), which donated hand sanitizers to ASWIM to be presented to the women, said they were elated to play a role in fighting the pandemic.

Mr Effah said HFFG had distributed more than 3,000 bottles of hand sanitizers to various organizations and social groups countrywide.

Madam Hannah Naa Borkai Addy, Market Queen of Agbogbloshie Market, commended ASWIM, HFFG and ISD for their respective roles in the fight against the pandemic.

Madam Addy pleaded with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA to assist the market to mobilise all traders to sell their wares in the main market.

She said traders who failed to adhere to social distancing and good sanitation practices would be asked to leave the market.

Nana Oguamena I, the leader of the Vegetable Sellers Association at the Agbogbloshie Market, said he would ensure that all the protocols initiated to limit the spread of COVID-19 were strictly adhered to.

Mrs Kitcher presented the 270 bottles of hand sanitizers donated by HFFG to Madam Addy to support the traders' fight against COVID-19.

Ghana's total confirmed COVID-19 cases stand at 408, with eight deaths and four recoveries.

ASWIM is a professional association of women media practitioners dedicated to the cause of professional advancement, the protection of the rights of girls and women and their empowerment to play their roles meaningfully towards the holistic development of Ghana.