Dolapo Dosunmu, the Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Oyo state, says consumption of herbal plants is not an alternative to COVID-19 prevention or its treatment.
Dosunmu stated this on Thursday, at Iyana-offa, during an advocacy visit to traditional rulers in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo state.
She admonished residents of the various communities in the local government and the state in general to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 guidelines/protocol as the best way to prevent the pandemic.
She intimated the residents that COVID-19 is real and should not believe in unfounded theories that either say coronavirus doesn’t exist or that the virus can be prevented or cured through consumption of herbal plants and alcohol.
She said the advocacy visit was to intimate that traditional rulers on the need to pay more attention to the sensitisation and awareness campaign on COVID-19 pandemic.
“Part of the reasons why we are having increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases is that since the gradual ease of the lockdown people have started deviating from laid down guidelines.
“For instance, people have started having social engagement/ celebration, where people gather together without observing physical distancing or use of nose masks.
“Now that the transmission of coronavirus is at community level, there is need to empowers you – the stakeholders, to be able to say more, do more in sensitising the people on COVID-19 guidelines.
“Maintaining physical distancing, use nose mask always, washing of hands with soap should be a necessity and anyone with symptoms of coronavirus should immediately visit centres designated for COVID-19 test without delay.
“That is an obligation we are asking from you, since traditional rulers have their constituency, you usually have traditional council meetings, so, in each of those meetings, please do more, empower more on why people should comply with the COVID-19 protocols.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers in Lagelu local government area, Chief Isiaka Akinpelu, pledged that traditional leaders in the local government would support NOA in its sensitisation drive towards containment and prevention of COVID-19.
Akinpelu requested the agency to be sending its officers to the area to carry out more enlightenment on COVID-19.
“We promise to take all the messages on COVID-19 back to our respective domains. Akinpelu said.
