Afia Ohemeng
Homeless and shelter-less persons are facing a great risk of being exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic present in the nation. In as much as the Ghanaian government is making strides in protecting its citizens, there seems to be one aspect of the population that has been overlooked- the shelter-less.
This article chooses to use “shelter-less” rather than “homeless” because most people in Ghana have homes- a place where all extended members of the family can point to us an origin. The shelter-less are those without an appropriate structure to live in.
The number of people who are shelter-less in Accra,Ghana is steadily rising and it seems city officials are not worried about their population. Attention has been directed towards those the authorities have a strategic plan for. The shelter-less include Kayayei, truckpushers, runaways and others who have fallen on hardtimes. These shelter-less individuals are at a greater risk of being infected and spreading this disease.
For those who live on the streets, a viral disease like coronavirus could be especially devastating. There is a chance that a shelter-less person may catch the disease and if they do catch an infectious disease they are more likely to unknowingly spread the disease considering how close they are to others and do not have the luxury of social distancing. Because of how exposed they are to the elements they are at a higher risk. They also have underlying diseases that puts them at a risk of being infected. Their living conditions also affects how effectively they can self-quarantine.
How do you self-quarantine if you do not have a home?
Recent epidemics and pandemics usually spread quickly in tight living areas and other places with poor sanitary conditions. As the coronavirus is spreading, the Governor of Accra and other cities must create new and effective measures to tackle the issue of coronavirus among the shelterless in the country.
