NMA Warns More Pupils Risk COVID-19 Infections

• Slams poor preparedness for schools reopening

  

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – Following the re-opening of schools in some states on Monday, January 18, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned that more pupils risk being infected with the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

With Federal Government’s refusal to back down on the resumption date for schools, the NMA said rather than experimenting with the lives of pupils, measures should be put in place to effectively monitor and supervise systems for compliance in both public and private schools.

The Association said government lacked available data to amply determine the readiness level of schools in complying with safety protocols instituted by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

According to the NMA President, Professor Innocent Ujah; “What we have been saying is that this Coronavirus pandemic is totally unprepared for and that has been since it started. But one year after, what lessons have we learnt?

“We know that students should go to school, and we know that they should maintain the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocol, but what have we done in schools?”

Speaking in a television interview, Professor Ujah said: “Whether it is a public or private school, injury to one is an injury to all. The truth is that we have no statistics as far as I know of the number of schools that are ready, whether public or private and what they should put in place.

“I think that we are very sentimental as a nation. Let us follow the advice of experts. While we are saying that schools should reopen, we should be prepared and there should be monitoring.

“Who are those monitoring and supervising the process. Even those who are not in schools are not obeying. How much compliance do we have amongst people on the streets to the NCDC protocols?

Insisting NMA has not relented in supporting strict compliance with existing health and COVID-19 protocols, the NMA President said; “Now, suddenly people are saying children should go to school but what evidence do they have? If the Ministry of Education says so, who are the supervisors and where do we go to monitor or to supervise the process?

“It is not just sitting on the roundtable and saying that we want the schools to be reopened and there should be no problem. We have suffered these because people do not listen to experts.”

He said the NMA has constantly “cautioned on all grounds, and our own is to advocate and bring out the scientific component and not the political and sentimental components of this pandemic. That is why we are facing what we are facing today.”

“We are overwhelmed with the second wave. There are no oxygen; and the hospitals are overwhelmed. Why should we wait until we are overwhelmed before we react?

“That is what we called emergency preparedness and response”, Professor Ujah said