As the coronavirus spreads across the continent, countries need to continue to encourage citizens to maintain the measures that protect them from getting the virus. This includes social distancing, wearing masks and washing their hands.
Departments of Health also have an obligation to remind people that smokers who get coronavirus are likely to get more severe symptoms and that they can even die.
This is exactly what The Gambia has been doing. Last week, it launched its second Tobacco Control COVID-19 caravan, following the success of its caravan last year.
For the caravan, life-size posters are tied o the back of a truck. A sound system is attached so that officials from the Ministry of Health are able to travel from region to region, spreading messages about the dangers of smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The caravans are well received,” explains Omar Badjie, the Tobacco Control Focal Point in The Gambia’s Health Ministry.
The caravans were sent to two regions of The Gambia and drove around for 16 days in total.
“The music attracts the people and when they come to us they are able to see the messages displayed. We also give them messages.
“The nice thing is that they also ask us cOVID-19 related questions, which is very good. They have asked us about the vaccine and about the latest COVID-19 numbers. They also ask us about smoking,” says Badjie.
Currently in Africa there are more than 4.3million infections and more than 115 000 COVID-19 deaths.