COVID-19: Bauchi produces nose masks for Journalists

As a measure to protect its members from the COVID-19 pandemic, Bauchi State Chapter of the Sportswriters Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has produced and distributed customised nose masks for working Journalists in the state.

The masks were handed over to the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) by the State Secretary of SWAN, Mahmoud Ibn Mohammed, at Press Center on Monday.

Mahmud Ibn Mohammed described Journalists as part of the frontline workers in the fight against the pandemic making then vulnerable to the infection and therefore need to be protected.

He added that the decision was taken by the leadership of SWAN as its own little contribution to the proactive measures put in place by the government to curtail the spread of the infection in state appealing to the Journalists to ensure that they were protected always in the performance of their professional duties.

While receiving the items, Caretaker Committee Chairmen of the NUJ, Nasiru Abdulkadir Kobi, commended the initiative of SWAN saying that it was a move that will further boost the morale of the working Journalists in the face of the fight against COVID-19.

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While urging Journalists in the state to take extra precautions while performing their professional duties they should be at alert, wear their masks, wash their hands with soap and clean water as well as use hand sanitisers and maintain social distancing practice.

He then called on other affiliate unions of NUJ to emulate the SWAN initiatives in order to ensure that journalists were protected against COVID-19 pandemic.

In a related development in a bid to ascertain uptake of Child Birth Spacing (CBS) and other reproductive health services amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, a group of Journalists known as Bauchi Public Health Media Network is embarking on a field trip to three health facilities in two senatorial districts of Bauchi State.

This was disclosed by the Bauchi State Media Focal Person (MFP) of DevCom Communications, Ms Elizabeth Car,r while briefing members of the Network on the level of preparation for visits to some of the health facilities in the State.

Elizabeth Carr said that the main objective of the visit was to have first-hand information on health services related to reproductive health and Child Birth Spacing (CBS) in Bauchi State amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic Challenge.

She said: “Attention now is more focused on Covid 19 Pandemic and so it is imperative for us to keep the government informed on other health issues especially as it affects women and adolescents girls. The field trip will afford us an opportunity to know the challenges surrounding CBS and reproductive health associated with women and adolescents girls.”

The Media Focal Person commended members of the Network for their doggedness in reporting CBS and reproductive health issues despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE