Coronavirus is changing the world, also in Ghana and PCC
How are Ghana and PCC doing in this era of corona?
In my last column I wrote that 152 Coronavirus infections were recorded in Ghana by the end of March. In the mean time the number of infections has accumulated into more than 4,000 (including 18 deaths), mainly in and around the capital, Accra, and also though in a lesser extent in various other regions of Ghana.
In comparison with many other countries these are modest numbers, but it goes without saying that everybody in Ghana is also confronted with the effects of this pandemic.
Some big cities like Accra and Kumasi have been in lockdown for 3 weeks, but this measure has meanwhile been lifted because e.g. large groups of people didn’t have an income anymore and as a result they were not able to buy any food.
The government and volunteers started handing out food free of charge for these groups of people. However, as a result many people were crowding at these food banks and consequently threatening public health.
The streets of Accra were desolate practically overnight, I have never ever seen them this empty and also the crowded markets, which are normally swarming with people, had suddenly – though momentarily – disappeared.
In March Ghana’s president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was quite persuasive in his arguments when explaining the necessity of the lockdown in order to protect public health:
“We know how to bring our economy back to life. What we do not know is how to bring people back to life”.
Subsequently the president was widely quoted in the whole world!
In comparison with many other countries these are modest numbers, but it goes without saying that everybody in Ghana is also confronted with the effects of this pandemic.
Some big cities like Accra and Kumasi have been in lockdown for 3 weeks, but this measure has meanwhile been lifted because e.g. large groups of people didn’t have an income anymore and as a result they were not able to buy any food.
The government and volunteers started handing out food free of charge for these groups of people. However, as a result many people were crowding at these food banks and consequently threatening public health.
The streets of Accra were desolate practically overnight, I have never ever seen them this empty and also the crowded markets, which are normally swarming with people, had suddenly – though momentarily – disappeared.
In March Ghana’s president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was quite persuasive in his arguments when explaining the necessity of the lockdown in order to protect public health:
“We know how to bring our economy back to life. What we do not know is how to bring people back to life”.
Subsequently the president was widely quoted in the whole world!
Fortunately, there is still no reporting of infections in the Bono East Region, the Region where Nkoranza is situated and we profoundly hope that this will remain the same. But the recent obligation in the whole of Ghana to wear a (simple) mask when outside the house also affects PCC and its caregivers – at least when they leave the compound. Have a look at the pictures.
Because all schools (just like the churches) are still closed in Ghana, all children must stay inside the compound for the entire day, just like they are used to during school holidays. Shalom Special School, which is adjacent to us and is normally attended by tens of our children each morning, is also closed.
All our day programmes had to be adapted to the current situation.
Fortunately, it is more or less business as usual in PCC, the caregivers do the best they can. All residents of PCC go on quietly with their lives, they have never even heard of coronavirus and are living in a blissful ignorance, in all peace and quiet and without the fear of whatever infection!
From this peace and quiet in PCC all residents of our Community wish to all of the readers of this column: good health and all the very best.
Advice: keep to all corona recommendations, but at the same time keep on enjoying life, each and every day!
As may be clear from this pandemic, life can be over before you even know it!