By Alfred Akuki
Lagos State Government on Monday, recommended the
resumption of students for academic activities having certified the result from
analysis of water samples from all water delivery points at the Queens
College,Yaba, Lagos.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris
said this while giving an update on the outbreak of gastroenteritis in the
School.
He noted that the school authority in
collaboration with the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Old Girls
Association and the Federal Ministry of Education has successfully addressed
identified areas of lapses by instituting various control measures.
According to him, the control measures include;
decommissioning of the multiple contaminated water sources, deployment of a
single water source with water treatment, renovation of the dining hall,
decontamination of the hostels and overhauling of the sewage system and
clearance of the septic tanks.
He added that the periodic testing and retesting
of water sources will still go on in line with international best practices.
Idris noted that while he was updating the media
few weeks back, he mentioned that water samples from one of the multiple water
delivery points in the College posed safety and portability concern. He however
disclosed that this has been addressed as new pipes have been laid.
Said he: “I am delighted to inform you that based
on the results of the analysis of the latest water samples collected on
Tuesday, April 11, 2017, all water delivery points have been certified to
conform to official specifications and I hereby recommend to the School
Authority resumption of Students of Queens College, Yaba, Lagos,”.
While restating the commitment of the State
Government to guarantee good health of the citizenry irrespective of gender,
religious or ethnic affiliations, Idris emphasized the need for the School
Authority and appropriate Federal Agencies to supervise continuous screening,
follow up and monitoring of all students and staff of the school because of the
polymicrobial nature of the outbreak.
The Commissioner who also revealed that four out
of the 25 infected kitchen staff that were treated and retested still harbor
some bacteria recommended that the four kitchen staff be made to undergo
further treatment, be prevented from handling food and redeployed from the
kitchen area.
He disclosed that since the outbreak of the
disease in the school, 40 cases were admitted in various public and private
hospitals in the State. He added that 37 cases were discharged after full
recovery while the remaining three were unfortunately lost to the disease.
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