Ebola: Doctors reject September 22 schools resumption date

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has
rejected the Monday September 22nd resumption
directive given by FG to all Primary and
Secondary schools due to the Ebola outbreak in
Nigeria.

 The NMA speaking through its National Publicity
Secretary, Dr Olawunmi Layaki, said they expect
all schools to remain closed until December or
early next year when all Ebola suspects under
surveillance have been cleared and certified free
of the virus.
"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. 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.” it
said
In the same vein, the chairman of the Lagos state
chapter of the association, Dr Tope Ojo said most
public schools lack basic hygienic facilities and
this would expose the students to easy spread of
the virus.
"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 sanitizers
or avoid contact with anybody that has
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.” he said