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Some parents have called for intensified prayers into recent deaths at the Kumasi Academy (KUMACA), as they suspect the happenings there could have spiritual implications.

The parents also want Watch Night Services to be organized in the school to seek God’s intervention as authorities work to find a lasting solution to the matter.

Health officials in the Ashanti Region have ruled out Meningitis as the cause of the recent deaths at the school.

The officials, however, suspect a bacterial infection in the school.
Speaking to journalists, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Emmanuel Tenkorang, said “we have done all the tests for meningitis. They are negative, so it shows that the condition is not meningitis.”

Some of the parents stormed the school on Tuesday morning and took their wards home despite the fact that they are about to start examinations next week.

The students and all staff and non-teaching staff, are also expected to be screened before the closure of the school on Friday, December 8.

Later on Tuesday, some parents were seen running about on the school premises in search of their wards.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, was addressing the school following a meeting with the Regional Security Council on the health crisis, when two female students collapsed sparking the action from some parents.

Some of the parents, who spoke to Citi News after a meeting with the Ashanti Regional Minister and other stakeholders, said the matter will require prayers since they believe it has spiritual connotations.

One of the parents said “It is true because it can be that physically it is not any disease, but it is spiritual. So if we are thinking about the disease, we should also think about the spiritual aspect too, so that we can organize prayers as Muslims and Christians so we can find a lasting solution to this problem.”

Another parent also said “I support what they are saying because since we don’t know the cause whether it is a disease or not, it could be a spiritual or anything, prayer is very good.”

Six students have so far been discharged from the KNUST hospital, while 18 others are still on admission.

Four students died earlier in 2017, whilst three died just last week. Another died on Tuesday morning, prompting parents to raise concerns about the safety of their wards in the school.

A medical team from the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to partner personnel from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to administer antibiotics on students and teachers for three (3) days.

Meanwhile, the result of test conducted by the Noguchi Memorial Institute on the possible cause of the recent deaths is expected to day [Wednesday].