Ebola: "All Schools Should Remain Shut Till The Virus Is Contained"-NMA

Remember the FG changed the primary and secondary schools resumption date from October to September 22nd. However, members of the Nigerian Medical Association are not OK with the students returning back to school that early.

It said through NMA 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, disclosed that an 18 month-old baby had been quarantined in the state for  showing symptoms of the 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.” 

 “ 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.”

The Lagos State chapter of NMA also 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 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.”

In related gist, the minister of health has revealed that a fiancé of one of Patrick Sawyer’s contacts who was confirmed positive for EVD had since recovered.

He added, 

“So far, all the cases that have been confirmed in Nigeria are traceable to the index case (Sawyer). As of this (Monday) morning, the total number of confirmed cases of EVD in Nigeria is 19.   Fifteen were   in Lagos and four   in Port Harcourt.

“The 19th case is the fiancé of one of the primary contacts of Mr. Sawyer who died of the disease. The test results were equivocal but further tests established the disease. He had only mild symptoms and he has since recovered from the illness. He was quarantined but because of the equivocal test result he was not placed on active treatment.

“The total number of deaths from EVD in Nigeria stands at seven . Five   of them died in Lagos, one in a private hospital, the index case,   and the other four   in the isolation ward in Lagos State.

“Two of the seven died in Port Harcourt, the medical doctor who died in a private hospital and the contact, a patient in the hospital at the time the doctor was also on admission, who died in the isolation ward in Rivers State.”

According to him, the total number of patients who have been successfully managed and discharged stands at nine.

He added that the latest was the sister (Chinyere) of the late Port Harcourt doctor who initially ran to Abia state. She has now been discharged from the isolation ward in Rivers State on Sunday.

“It should be noted that the nine   patients successfully managed and discharged are among the total number of 11 survivors of EVD in Nigeria. At the moment, only one person, the wife of the late Port Harcourt doctor, is on treatment at the isolation ward in Lagos.

“She no longer has any symptoms and is undergoing a series of tests preparatory to her discharge from the isolation ward this week.

“I am cheerful today because we have successfully treated an Ebola patient. She (Chinyere) has been effectively treated, cleared and discharged from our isolation treatment centre. She deserves to be celebrated as a success story,” he said. 

“I can assure you that the disease has been covered. People should not cause panic. The number of deaths from Ebola is lower than deaths from road accidents.”