Bolgatanga, April 25, GNA – The Navrongo- Bolgatanga Diocesan Priests Association (NABODPA) as part of efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, has donated personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Diocesan Health Directorate.
The items included hand sanitizers, hand gloves and face masks at a cost of GH¢8,000.00, to be distributed to ten health facilities in the Diocese.
Reverend Father James Aganiba Achaa, the President of NABODPA who handed over the items to the Bishop of Navrongo- Bolgatanga Diocese, Most Reverend Alfred Agyenta, at the Bishop’s Secretariat in Bolgatanga, said the items were procured by the priests in response to the call by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) to all Catholics, societies and groups in the various dioceses to support the fight against the pandemic.
Rev. Fr. Achaa expressed the hope that the items would help increase the confidence of health workers in their line of duty.
He thanked health staff and all those actively involved in the fight against the spread of the disease and assured them of their prayers.
He entreated everyone to observe the protocols, by using alcohol based hand sanitizers, wearing of face masks and above all staying at home unless it was absolutely necessary to go out.
Most Rev Agyenta who received the PPE expressed gratitude for the initiative taken by NABODPA and stressed that the effort was not only in response to GCBC’s call, but to the Diocese that had laid down a programme of response to the crises through groups and partners within the Diocese.
The Bishop who was flanked by his staff, noted that the priests’ quick response was also a response to the liturgy, since the action takes place in the local churches and for recognizing the need to work together as pastoral collaborators to the Bishop.
“We are going through difficult times especially where parishes have been locked down and as a result making resource mobilization a challenge,” the Bishop said.
“You are also front liners and have to take care of yourselves, therefore charity begins at home,” he told the priests, adding that they were exposed in reaching out to people especially when they had to perform burial services.
The Bishop who in turn handed over the items to the Health Directorate said every parish and pastoral agents were key and therefore needed to be protected to carry out the work of God and challenged the directorate to ensure that the equipment and all that would follow, would be judiciously used.
Mr Bismark Akasoe, the Diocesan Health Director who received the items from the Bishop, gave an overview of the operations of the health facilities in the diocese and also allayed fears of all in the face of the pandemic, stating that one suspected case was registered in the area but tested negative.
He thanked the NABODPA for the kind gesture.
Following a call by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) to all Catholics, societies and groups in various Dioceses to support the fight against the pandemic, the National Union of Ghana Diocesan Priests Association (NUGPA) requested the Diocesan Associations to join in fund raising to support the action at the local and national level.
GNA