Ebola: Doctors reject Sept 22 schools’ resumption date

The Nigerian Medical Association on Monday faulted the Federal Government’s directive to schools to resume on September 22 as against October 12.

It said through its National Secretary-General, Dr. Olawunmi Alayaki, that all schools ought to remain   shut   till all those under surveillance for the Ebola Virus Disease in the country had been certified free.

“We are not happy with this decision on the resumption of schools. Schools should be shut till the last suspected case or patient is certified free of the virus,” the NMA said.

Before the association made this known the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, had disclosed that an 18 month-old baby had been quarantined in the state for   showing symptoms of the deadly virus.

The NMA suggested that the resumption of schools could be shifted till December or early part of next year because if Ebola should spread to any school, it would “assume another dimension.”

It said, “ We can shift the resumption date till next year or in the next three months if that is the time it will take. Government should have enough time to follow the standard procedure for containing   the virus.

“Parents have no reason to be   in a hurry because if Ebola should enter any school, it will assume another dimension. Children cannot survive isolation like adults.

“Nigeria is peculiar because of her large population and we should be pragmatic and proactive. It   will not augur well for the country if we have another outbreak due to carelessness.”

Also, the Lagos State chapter of NMA said that the Federal Government should have postponed the resumption date till the completion of surveillance and monitoring of contacts in the affected states.

It said through its chairman, Dr. Tope Ojo, that   many of the public and private schools in the country lacked basic   hygiene and sanitary facilities that could help prevent the spread of the EVD by pupils.

It stated, “It would not have cost the Federal Government anything to have waited till those under surveillance have completed the 21 days in all the states where they are being monitored.

“The government knows that it takes a longer time for children to get used to the idea of hygiene and sanitation. They are even more vulnerable because they would play with each other whether they are sick or not.

“How many children know that they should use hand sanitisers or avoid contact with anybody that has a fever?

“Waiting till October when at least the situations in Rivers and Lagos states would have been conclusively managed is another safety measure the government should have taken . These kids are not studying to get a degree, so we are sure it would not have affected schools’ curricula.”

Also the immediate past president of the NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, expressed concern about the September 22 resumption date and wondered about the safety parameters government used in fixing the date.

Enabulele said that   the grouse of many parents with the   resumption date stemmed from the fact that they were not convinced that schools had met the safety standards for the prevention of Ebola.

He added that if the government was bent on schools adhering to the date, it should begin now to check the sanitary facilities put in place by their proprietors to ensure the safety of pupils.

Enabulele said, “We must know the parameters that the Federal Government used to arrive at the resumption date in the first place. Has the Federal Government carried out a safety assessment in registered schools in the country? There should be a checklist and only those who meet it should be certified fit to reopen.

“The minimum standard is that all schools should have a dispensary, a sick bay where sick children, especially those with fever, are properly managed and tested.”

Saying that he knew that such facilities were not available in many schools, he asked: So, why the rush for their resumption?”

Also, a consultant paediatrician with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi- Araba, Prof. Edamisan Temiye, called on the three tiers of government to ensure that schools  had access to water on their premises.

The former Lagos NMA chairman, also warned parents not to force sick children to go to school as this could expose them to infections.

Temiye said, “Governments must ensure that clean water   flows on schools’ premises so that children can wash their hands regularly. Water is important for sanitation and it is the duty of government to ensure that citizens have access to it.

“Also, parents should take sick children to hospital. Don’t give them drugs and force them to go to school. Ebola can only be caught from a sick person. School authorities should watch out for   and isolate sick children   from others.