An international non-governmental organization, Slum and Rural Health Initiative has developed one of the world’s largest collection of infographics in over sixty (60) international, national and local languages on the prevention of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) based on the guidelines provided by the world’s apex health organization, the World Health Organization (WHO).
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has been drowning in the ocean of health information, disinformation and manipulated information which has made it difficult to distinguish between accurate information and health misinformation (more commonly known as ‘fake news’). Also, much credible information has been largely shared in just the major languages of the world – English, French, Chinese, Arabic, and Portuguese. As an innovative and vibrant NGO focused on health, Slum and Rural Health Initiative produced the #StopCovid infographics in over 60 languages to ensure that millions of communities and billions of people (including people who live in vulnerable and marginalized settings) across the world who do not speak the major languages have access to the reliable and accurate health information on what they can do to prevent themselves and their loved ones from the coronavirus.
In the words of Dr. Isaac Olufadewa, the Founder and Executive Director of the Slum and Rural Health Initiative (SRHIN), ‘People can only take the right action when they have the right information.’ SRHIN has received several accolades and commendations for this amazing initiative from communication experts, technocrats and consultants from the United Nations (UN), UNICEF, USAID, US CDC, Women in Global Health, MADRE, One Young World, Translators Without Borders among other several international NGOs and agencies. The innovative health infographics have even been published on the USAID’s Social Behavioural Change Compass website. It is noteworthy that the leadership team of Slum and Rural Health Initiative led by Dr. Olufadewa, Miracle Adesina (Country Coordinator – Nigeria), ArarsoBaru (Country Director – Ethiopia) and Dr. AmakaNnebedum (Director of Communications and Media) helped in coordinating the development, design and distribution of the impactful infographics by their amazing team of graphics designers, translators, communications experts and researchers on the prevention of the novel coronavirus.
Present statistics have shown the deadly impact of the virus on the continents in the world. Continents with many developed countries with relatively strong healthcare systems such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, etc. have been suffered huge losses to this pandemic. There have been over 2 million cases confirmed worldwide with the United States leading with over 700,000 cases and more than 35,000 deaths as of 18th April 2020.
However, the Africa continent with many low and middle-income countries that have very weak healthcare systems and health indicators have about 21,000 recorded cases. This low number can be due to the low number of tests conducted. Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, with over 200 million people has only over 7000 test as of 17th April 2020 based on the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control report. This is infinitesimal in comparison with South Korea’s 100,000 tests every day.
Several national governments have made an effort to combat this pandemic in Africa. Lockdowns have been imposed in several African countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ethiopia among others. In Nigeria, the Federal Government has declared lockdown in Lagos and Abuja (the two states with the highest number of cases) alongside gun State. State governors across the 36 states have also made various policies to ensure the social distancing measures are followed such as the curfew in Oyo State between 7 pm and 6 am.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, various scientists, health professionals, and designers have been working on ideas to stop the spread of the virus. Also, various clinical trials are going on presently in the race to find a cure for the virus and also a vaccine to prevent a future outbreak.
However, people need to have access to the right health information so that they will be able to protect themselves against the COVID-19 virus before the development of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus which experts say that it cannot be developed earlier than eighteen (18) months from now.
