The role of adult education in the fight against the covid-19 pandemic in selected communities in Ghana

Abstract

The wearing of face masks has been recommended as part of personal protective equipment and as a public health measure to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The use of masks by rural folks in Ghana has faced difficult challenges because of the problem with deeply rooted underlying socioeconomic and cultural health issues. To address these problems, a rigorous exploration of the engagement of men and women as leaders in three communities in Eastern Region to promote a goal-directed effort among low-income communities in Ghana was pursued. The idea was explored through a series of pilots in Ghana’s Eastern Region, beginning with participatory community discussions, leading to a small pilot study about the use and wearing of masks, and concluding with a controlled trial evaluation of the effort in three communities. At the end of the study, a clearly defined protocol for running distribution and use of masks to combat the spread and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was developed. Experimental evidence that demonstrates the study’s ability to raise awareness about the use and wearing of face masks in rural Ghana using community people, and men and women leaders as forerunners was also obtained.