Nile Petroleum Corporation Limited (NILEPET) a state-owned oil company in partnership with Zoom Media LTD have launched a COVID- 19 awareness campaign which they said aimed at disseminating health preventive measures against the viral disease.
The Campaign launched on Wednesday in Juba under the theme “Be the Hero” focuses mainly on encouraging the population not to relax on observing COVID-19 health preventive measures due to the recent decline in new infections as reported by the Ministry of Health.
“We have to educate our people on because this situation is not easy. We must eradicate COVID-19 by creating awareness to our people on COVID-19 such that they know how best to protect themselves,” Eng. Bol Ring, Managing Director of NILEPET said during the launch at the company’s headquarters.
He added that NILEPET is taking the lead in creating awareness on preventive measures against COVID-19 since many livelihoods and economic activities in South Sudan have been negatively affected by the pandemic.
Ring noted that the impact of the pandemic on the economy has worsened the situation forcing many professionals like medical doctors to abandon their duty stations.
“Doctors are running away to the oil sector due to poor environment they are working in,” he said.
Ring acknowledged receiving several job applications from people seeking to work with NILEPET to escape the poor working conditions where they are working.
The Deputy Managing Director for NILEPET, Stanaus Tombe, lauded the launch of the awareness campaign, adding that it will inform the public on the health preventive guidelines on COVID-19.
“The partial lockdown has been lifted but this doesn’t mean that we are safe. COVID-19 is still a threat to the whole world we need to observe the guidelines on COVID- 19 like social distancing, washing hands and wearing facemasks such that we protect ourselves,” said Tombe.
Kuol Gai Thiep, Chief Executive Officer of Zoom Media LTD, said that the COVID -19 awareness campaign they are undertaking together with NILEPET involves donating Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like face masks, hand sanitizers and washing cans to the public until the end of 14 days of the campaign.
“We are giving out for free to the public washing soaps, washing cans, hand sanitizers and face masks so that people protect themselves against catching COVID-19,”said Gai.
He added that the campaign is largely targeting people living in residential areas of Juba.
