As part of precautionary measures to stem the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), the Sunyani Municipal Assembly has set up clinics in market places in the Municipality to attend to suspected cases of the virus disease.

Accordingly, the 'city' authorities have engaged health workers at the clinics in the four satellite or temporary markets they have created, purposely to control human congestion, and to protect traders and buyers from contracting the deadly pandemic.

Traders at the Sunyani Coronation Park, Jubilee Park, Sunyani main market and those around the Twene Amanfo Senior High and Technical School in the Central Business District lauded the initiative taken by the Assembly, and hoped it would be sustained.

During a market survey conducted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA0, health workers were provided with thermometer guns to check the body temperature of the market women and buyers.

Majority of them were wearing nose masks, observing social distancing, while the Sunyani Municipal COVID-19 prevention Taskforce was sighted patrolling the various markets.

Led by by Superintendent Haruna Alhassan of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the Assembly set up the Taskforce to enforce and ensure that particularly commercial drivers, traders, drinking bar and restaurant operators in the Municipality would strictly adhere to preventive measures and government restrictions on the COVID-19.

In an interview with the GNA, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) noted the COVID-19 had come to stay, and it was the responsibility of the Assembly to ensure that the Municipality was safe for the people.

She observed that public places such as lorry stations and markets were high risk areas, saying the Assembly would set up such clinics in all public places in the 'city'.

Madam Owusu-Banahene said the health workers engaged at the clinics provided first aid, screening and COVID-19 education to the traders and advised them to continue washing their hands with soap under running water, use hand sanitizers frequently and avoid hand shake.

She emphasised that Nana Bosoma market was still shut down, and it would be opened for market activities as and when necessary, and reminded that wearing of nose masks was compulsory in the Municipality.

The MCE said the Assembly had engaged tailors and seamstresses to sew quantities of nose masks for continuous distribution to the masses and protect the public from infection.