By Tabora Bojang
Amid heightened fear and anxiety over the spike of Covid-19 cases, Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe of Banjul has called on the Health Minister Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh to impose a lockdown in Banjul and its surroundings to allow extensive testing and contact tracing to control the spread of the pandemic.
She made the call as the country’s main referral hospital EFSTH struggles to accommodate patients struck with the coronavirus and deaths relating to it.
The Gambia continues to break daily records for confirmed Covid-19 cases with many believing it has entered its peak.
Mayor Lowe, who was seen weeping in the video that has gone viral since Sunday night,said a lock down is needed for the city to cope with the surge.
“My dear brother, Honorable, I am appealing to you to introduce a lockdown in the Greater Banjul Area, since all powers are given to you. The president has given you all the powers.
I am appealing to you to introduce a lockdown in the GBA for at least one week. It’s very very important since the Greater Banjul Area and the North Bank are the worst affected. I am appealing to you; we have conscience, and as a politician, I have conscience and cannot sit down seeing my people dying everyday. Look at the hospital or the sanatorium!
Dr Samateh, I am talking to you as a sister please. I appeal because the coronavirus has escalated and you know it better than I do. I am talking to the doctors that people are dying in their homes in the Greater Banjul Area.
Honorable Minister, I am appealing as a sister for the sake of God to ask the police and soldiers to go out and talk to our people because they are dying in their homes and people are affected and have no place to be taken for quarantine.
As I am talking to you, a respected elder who is also my very good friend died and we have seen many other people dying everyday.
I know they have brought some equipment but is that enough if we are not abiding by the rules? I am on my knees appealing to you that I cannot take it anymore as a mother, a leader and a sister,” the Mayor said.
