At the maritime border, within the company and even in the town of Kribi, the Port Authority committed to sensitising and providing preventive products and equipment.
The touristic and port town of Kribi is a gateway to Cameroon. This has become a risk due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Port Authority of Kribi has logically taken preventive measures to control the plague and these were strengthened this Wednesday 18 March 2020 in accordance with instructions from the Government.
“All the vessels entering Kribi are suspicious henceforth”, says Dr. Jean Jacques BINZOULI MBVOUM, Head of PAK’s Socio-medical Directorate. As such, the pilot boat has been open to health staff alongside the pilot appointed to welcome waiting vessels and vessels at sea. “The health staff goes on board first. They check the vessel before the pilot brings the vessel in the port for berthing”, says Captain Mustapha, pilot and Head of the Control, and Port Security/Safety Directorate. That notwithstanding, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are provided after berthing to each crew member that leaves the vessel.
It is worth mentioning that PAK recently acquired various preventive products and equipment against Coronavirus:
- Laser thermometers (thermo-flash) for remote temperature measurement;
- Bottles of antibacterial gel for regular hand cleaning;
- Disinfectants and sprays to sanitise vessels;
- Thermo-nebulisers to sanitise large areas;
- Granulated bleach for various cleaning purposes, etc.
Information notices have been sent to all PAK employees and visuals on preventive measures, symptoms and toll-free numbers have been posted here and there for the staff and users. Since last Monday, this basic measure has been reinforced with the provision of disinfecting gels at the entrance of services and various gates. In the same vein, as Dr. BINZOULI explains, “safety and reception staff will be trained to serve as agents to raise awareness on the need for systematic hand disinfection and temperature measurement. Any individual with temperature above 38° will be sent to a health centre”. In accordance with the Government ‘s instructions, meetings will be limited and held online, hence an opportunity to explore all the intranet options for remote communication that have been neglected so far. PAK will equally make sure that all the companies of the Kribi Port platform keep health measures prescribed by the Government and the WHO, especially the effective quarantine of all employees coming from abroad. Such case is found in CHEC where some employees recently came from China.
