Doctors criticise states for allowing schools to reopen
By Emmanuel Awosika
Doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have criticised the decision of some states to reopen schools amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, had warned states against reopening schools early, given the spike in Covid-19 cases.
Instead, he gave January 18 as a tentative date to be used for resumption.
However, some states including Sokoto, Oyo, Delta, and Abia, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, have authorised the reopening of schools on Monday.
Officials from the NARD and NMA faulted the decision to reopen schools, saying it would put students and teachers at risk.
NMA Secretary-General, Dr. Ekpe Phillips, said: “Granted that the younger population have a better immunity than the older population, but they should not take it for granted because there are still some children who have co-mobilities and their lives are important. There are children with hypertension, diabetes, who COVID-19 can take down.
“Also remember that the students do not just stay in schools on their own; they have teachers and workers who may also be exposed. So, it is important to exercise caution even in the reopening of schools.
“It is very wrong for schools to reopen tomorrow (today) and remember that most people have gone on Christmas and New Year holiday without keeping to the NCDC protocol. I am not saying that is what is going to happen, but there is that scare that there could be a sudden surge in transmission and infection associated with COVID-19.
“I also understand one fact that Nigerians have not kept to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocol. Also, you ask yourself – what difference has it really made if people are doing crossover sitting down without face masks and without social distancing? As far as I am concerned it is a sin that the government put a rule and people break it on religious grounds.”
NARD President Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi expressed similar sentiments, explaining that the move to reopen schools would only expose to the virus.
“I strongly believe that schools should not be reopening on Monday. The fact that states are now releasing children to resume school is my cry because we don’t know the directions that Nigerians are going. We are exposing our children, our families and everybody into where there is no direction,” he said.
