Opinion: Why we need a nationwide lockdown to prevent coronavirus

April 2, 2020 Opinions, South Sudan

By Gabriel Matut Maliah

Photo: Ambulance seen a a scene of suspected coronavirus case

April 2, 2020 (SSNN) — South Sudan government needs to lockdown the whole country to prevent and stop coronavirus spread. All the ten states plus the three administrative areas should be in total lockdown to fight the spread of the coronavirus especially the bordering states to our neighboring countries.

It is not a joke as I have seen people not taking it as serious as in the other parts of the world. It could be because of our culture of recklessness and ignorance, as we have been killing ourselves sensilessly. However, We need to give it a second thought otherwise,u all of us are the same from our president to a last poorest person in the country.

State governors and three areas administrators need to be appointed to implement and monitor the consistent countywide approach to total shutdown to stop the spread of the virus, should there be cases, as we cannot rule out its presence.

This power wrangling in the country would not take us anywhere, given the presence of this DEADLY VIRUS, which has united all the files and ranks of all countries worldwide, to combat it.

Why are we still fighting over the states, which are even still under one president? Who are those that should be govern by these governors? If we cannot protect these people from this eminent threat, and all perish, is there need for such governors? Of course no.

What is the government plan for IDPS in POCS in South Sudan and those in the neighboring countries in this critical period of coronaVIRUS which is so disastrous in terms of human lives? The situations in pocs in the country and outside South Sudan is alarming. there is a need for action and the well-wishers including IDPS themselves need to have plans on how to vacate those places. We still have a long way to go…

South Sudan has not shut its doors completely and as government, there is a need for clear priorities to make informed decisions based on more substantial information.

There is a need for true leadership and a sense of collective responsibilities to avoid unintended consequences.

With God, We will defeat it!!

The author is a Geologist working at Greater Pioneer Operating Company and a Corporate Governance Researcher as well as a concerned citizen of South Sudan. He can be reached via: matutmaliah@ymail.com.