Lagos State Govt distributes sanitary wares and instructional materials to schools to prevent Ebola Outbreak

As primary and secondary schools resume for the 2014-2015 academic session today in Lagos State, the state government has begun the distribution of sanitary wares and instructional materials like water tanks, buckets, soap, gloves, posters, handbills, instructional compact discs and handouts on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to schools, in an effort to prevent an outbreak of the disease in schools.

The Special Adviser to the state governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, who stated this yesterday while addressing a crowd of teachers and heads of schools at the Eko FM ground, Agidingbi, Ikeja, noted that the state government postponed the resumption of schools earlier slated for September 22 to October 8 in order to put some preventive mechanism in place before the resumption of schools.

She explained that part of the preventive and infection control mechanism being put in place included the training of teachers and focal persons for each school on EVD prevention.

She said the procurement and distribution of thermoscans; a device for checking temperature, the production and distribution of information, education and enlightenment materials, including posters and handbills on EVD were also part of the measures being deployed.

Adeshina further stated that the state government had data on the availability of water in public schools across the state stressing that temporary measures are being put in place by the state government on the provision of water in schools with no water.

These measures, according to the special adviser, include the provision of water tanks, water tanks stands, colour and transparent bucket and distribution of N5,000 to schools without water for the temporary purchase of water for use in the schools.

She noted that the state government would include ‘a hand washing’ class in the school curriculum to encourage practical session on hand washing in a bid to inculcate the culture of hand washing in pupils; this, she noted was a step in ensuring high standard of personal hygiene in pupils.

“We have posters to educate pupils on EVD we also have posters that give instructional aid to proper hand washing technique.

This posters and instructional materials are designed to be posted on the walls of classrooms. A compact disc to aid teachers on presentation on Ebola virus and a student handout manual on the disease have also being distributed,” Adeshina said.

The special adviser explained that the thermoscans are not Ebola virus detector devices but devices for checking temperature which signals fever; which is one of the symptoms of EVD, adding also that the disposable gloves are also meant to be used by teachers when handling sick pupils.

She implored all heads of schools and teachers to utilise the various materials and resources being given to them judiciously and ensure that the effort of the state government in the containment of the EVD is not defeated as schools resume.


Credit: Busayo Adekoya/ThisDay