By Kemo Cham
A group of religious leaders representing Christians and Muslims in Sierra Leone has unveiled messages tailored to those geared towards the fight against the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The messages contained in a single booklet were adopted from messages composed by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. They speak to the basic Infection Prevention Control (IPC) measures identified by the ministry and its partners, and they seek to get the people follow directives by the government in efforts to contain the rapid spread of the global pandemic.
The religious leaders from the Christian Action Group (CRISTAG) and Islamic Action Group (ISLAG) presented the booklet at a one-day community engagement on Covid-19 in the conference hall of the Secretariat of the Council of Churches Sierra Leone.
CRISTAG and ISLAG are part of the Kombra Network, a community engagement arm of the health NGO FOCUS 1000.
Imam Dr Ramadan Jalloh, Coordinator of ISLAG and Chairperson of the National Kombra Network, said the booklet represented the role of religious leaders in the national efforts to fight Covid-19, which he described as a divine obligation.
Jalloh cited verses in the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Prophet to justify the messages that encourage people to obey advices of medical professionals to keep safe from the virus.
“The Coronavirus is seen in Islam as one of the pandemic diseases once mentioned by the prophet of Islam (pbh) and described as a calamity and destructive disease that has the tendency of killing thousands within a very short time,” he said, noting that the preventive measures proscribed by science were preceded by Islamic teachings 1400 years back. Dr Ramadan cited practices associated with the Islamic religion which he said served as evidence for this, including hand washing, which the Prophet Muhammad advised for anyone who wakes up from sleep. Hand washing is also a key part in the five daily prayers, he added.
Dr Jalloh also cited a famous Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet) which quotes Prophet Muhammad warning against entering a place under an epidemic or leaving it for other places.
Reverend Christiana Sutton-Koroma, National Coordinator of CRISTAG, presented the messages adopted from the Christian gospel. She started by urging the public to desist from sharing fake news, which she said was adding to the complications in fighting against Covid-19.
Reverend Sutton-Koroma, who is also the Vice Chairperson of the Advisory Board of FOCUS 1000, said the word virus, which is referred to in the Holy Bible as pestilence, wasn’t new to Christians as outbreaks or epidemic started from the days of Moses to Jesus Christ.
“As religious leaders, we must speak with one voice and not with conflicting messages in the fight against coronavirus,” she said, adding: “To avoid the spread of coronavirus, we must not allow the infected person to touch us while he or she carries the virus.”
Rev. Sutton-Koroma cited a verse in the Holy Bible, Numbers 19:22, which reads thus: “And whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean.”
Like her Muslim counterpart, Rev. Sutton-Koroma cited various other Biblical verses to explain all the measures advised by the health ministry, from hand washing to avoidance of handshake to abstinence from traveling in the midst of an epidemic.
The booklet, titled: ‘Religious messages on Coronavirus,’ will be distributed nationwide as part of Kombra Network’s campaign aimed at complementing the government’s efforts.
Wednesday’s event, which was the first of a series of engagements planned by the network, also saw the official introduction of the executive of the National Kombra Network.
The Network has been in existence for several years, operational in all districts across the country. The National Executive will coordinate the activities of all the district level networks for a smoother nationwide operation.
Representatives from government, civil society and other relevant institutions in the fight against Covid-19 made presentations at the event.
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