PM Urges Strengthened Preparedness, Strict Adherence to Health Guidelines

Addis Ababa, March 26/2020( ENA) Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called for strengthening the level of preparedness and strict adherence to health guidelines and other measures in order to combat the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19 ). 

This is the time for Ethiopians to redirect their energy from panic, fear and worry towards purposeful contribution, the prime minister wrote on his Facebook today.

“As the global community is gripped by the uncertainty COVID-19 has brought about, one thing that is certain is that our level of preparedness and strict adherence to health guidelines and other measures drawn, will determine how we cope and overcome,” he noted.  

According to him, the establishment of the National Resource Mobilization Committee to oversee the pooling of financial and non-financial resources is one of the measures of preparedness for the worst case scenario.

At the Federal level, quarantine, isolation, and treatment centers have been identified and equipping them with the needed materials is in the pipeline. He added that regional governments are following suit.

“This is the time for us to redirect our energy from panic, fear and worry towards purposeful contribution, by pooling whatever resources we have for a national emergency stockpile,” he urged.

Abiy further stated that bank accounts and SMS systems have been set up for anyone to contribute monetarily. A food bank is in the works for our hardworking farmers and producers to donate food supplies.

 “Fully equipping our quarantine, isolation and treatment centers with materials is also needed, as are other consumer goods for the most vulnerable,” he stated.

The prime minister finally called on Ethiopians to demonstrate that we confront adversity by coming together as a nation. “Each of us has a unique contribution to make as well as a responsibility to the home we call Ethiopia!”