AT least 1 000 people from different parts of Quthing were on Thursday last week directly affected by a mobile van sensitisation campaign that was held to fight the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The drive, which was organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Lesotho in collaboration with the National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) and District COVID-19 Secretariat (DISCOSEC), was led by the Quthing District Administrator in partnership with the Migrant Workers Association.

The 1 000 people reached included 50percent, 40percent men and 10percent children who were drawn from the main bus and taxi terminal in the district, the Quthing town as well as the surrounding villages.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and continuous need to sensitise populations on the risk of the virus and educate the public, both migrants and local communities, on the key infection prevention and control measures, the project supports NACOSEC/DISCOSEC risk communication sensitisation in the form of mobile van campaigns.

In her remarks, head of Office IOM Lesotho, Eriko Nishimura said the COVID 19 pandemic is real and does not discriminate, adding that it requires a collaborative fight.

“Let us not focus on the differences, returnees, local community, migrants (foreigner) etc., but we need to be united and fight against COVID-19 together,” she said.

Ms Nishimura reflected on IOM’s support for the district especially on the reintegration of returnees support in times of need.

Speaking on behalf of NACOSEC, Baroane Phenethi, head of Risk Communication, congratulated the Quthing DA for demonstrating his leadership skill during the COVID 19 crisis. He said COVID-19 prevention is key as the eventual arrival of the vaccine will not necessarily ensure that everyone is

vaccinated all at once.

This, he said demonstrates the need to come together and ensure that through strong messages, people will take precautions to prevent infection.

In his address, the DA Motete Mokonyane thanked the IOM for its support to the district with various intervention programmes including counter trafficking, reintegration support and now the COVID 19 sensitisation project.

He said IOM’s recognition of the problems facing the residents of Quthing is truly humbling, further acknowledging the association’s partnership with his office.

He noted that the district is hard hit by the pandemic as there has been an increase in cases of people with a strange flu and a hike in the number of deaths related to the flu.