Infectious Disease: There Should Be No Holidays For Affected Schools - Pratt

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has called on the Ministry of Health and government to begin a segregation programme at various schools in the country.

Mr. Pratt was commenting on the outbreak of H1N1 at Kumasi Academy and several Senior Hgh Schools across the country.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's Kokrokoo, he wondered why the health authorities are not taking urgent measures to curtail the spread of the disease.

He noted that as a matter of emergency, affected students should by now have been quarantined whereas the students who haven't been exposed to the disease, also kept in an enclosed area to avoid any contact with the disease.

We can begin to do segregation in the schools. So, those who have contracted the disease or they’re likely to come into contact with people who have had it should go to dormitory 1 and those without an exposure are to go to dormitory 2. This is something the schools must do immediately, segregation, in order to curb the spread. It is important to begin a segregated programme now,” he said.

Mr. Pratt also called on government to prevent the affected schools from embarking on the festive holidays.

To him, medical experts should also be dispatched to the various schools to monitor the outbreak as the students are prevented from going on holidays.

There has been an outbreak of H1N1 Flu in Kumasi Academy, where four students have died and many others taken ill and hospitalised, and meningitis in Koforidua Sec Tech, Damongo Snr High School, and most recently Bawku Sec Tech School.