Some primary schools in the FCT say they have evolved
precautionary measures to avoid the outbreak of cholera in the schools.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited some of the schools on Tuesday in Gwagwalada, observed that most schools have water drums and soap at designated places for pupils and teachers to wash their hands.
The schools said that the move is to ensure constant availability of potable water for the pupils and others.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a total of 1,141 suspected cases of cholera, with 65 confirmed cases.
The centre also reported 30 deaths across 96 local government areas in 30 states from Jan. 1 to June 11.
The NCDC listed 10 states that account for 90 per cent of the cholera burden in the country to include: Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa and Lagos.
The centre explained that cholera is a food and water-borne disease caused by vibrio cholerae, ingested through contaminated water and food.
It said that water contamination usually result from the faeces of infected individuals, during water collection, transportation, or storage at home, as food can also be contaminated by unclean hands during preparation or consumption.
The Assistant Headmaster, Administration at Pilot Science Primary School, Mr Ismaila Gishe, told NAN that the Local Education Authority (LEA) recently provided plastic water drum and purifier to purify the water before the pupils could drink it.
Gishe said the school management has also instructed teachers to sensitise pupils about the importance of personal hygiene.
He added that “the pupils were taught how to wash their hands before and after eating and after using the rest room.
“They were also sensitised on the need to cover their food and water to avoid flies, and to wash fruits
properly with clean water before consumption.
“We also sensitised them on the dangers of open defecation, and its negative impact to healthy wellbeing.”
He said that the school has followed all these instructions with action to ensure strict compliance, adding that it has been a huge success.
On the issue of food vendors in the school, he said the school has a committee that checks the food before it will be sold to the pupils.
According to him, any food that is not well prepared or noticed to be unhygienic, the committee will send such vendor away.
He urged parents to ensure maximum safety of their children or wards while at home to avoid any case of cholera in school.
Ms Amina Ibrahim, the Personal Assistant to the Headmaster, LEA Kontagora Estate Nursery and Primary School in Gwagwalada, Mr Moses Gbemileke, said the school has evolved some precautionary measures to ensure the safety of pupils.
She said that the school was supplied water drums and tablets to purify the water, adding that the school instructed the pupils to come with their own cups or containers from home for their personal use.
She added that “we instructed the pupils to bring their containers and cups from home so they could use it personally.
“These children are young and cannot understand the dangers of poor hygiene but the school has continued to teach and guide them on what to do.
“The school does not allow any random person to sell food and we ensure that
teachers taste the food before it is sold.
“Even the zobo (hibiscus leaves) drink that is sold in the school is prepared by a staff and consumed not only by the pupils, but teachers as well.
“If it is not safe, we will not encourage it and the teachers will not consume it too”, she said.
Ibrahim also said that pupils have been taught on the health implications of not washing their hands always, especially after using the toilet or playing.
She said the school would continue to do its best to ensure proper safety of both pupils and teachers.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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