Rivers State Government has fixed October 6 for the resumption of primary and secondary schools in the state following a reduction in the number of person under surveillance for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The decision however came as the the Country Representative of United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Jean Gough, called on Nigeria to remain vigilant and prevent the disease from entering the country from other West African countries still suffering from the it. Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the state government had formally decided that primary and secondary schools in the state should resume two weeks after the September 22 date announced by the Minister of Health, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu, because of its conviction that “the number of primary and secondary contacts that are currently being traced and under surveillance will have reduced significantly”. He said, “We currently have 253 contacts under surveillance and we hope that by weekend, the number would have come down significantly. We expect that quite a number of those under surveillance would have been discharged in batches. We had a suspected case at the isolation unit, but the result of the test proved negative. “By October 2, we can say with a measure of confidence that the outbreak of Ebola is over in Rivers State. We can say that the spread of Ebola is over in Nigeria from the results
that have come out of our collective efforts. Our challenge will remain Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea." In response to a question, the commissioner also said, “Primary and secondary schools in concert with the federal system of government that we operate in Nigeria are actually within the jurisdiction of the state ministry of education. Our decision to resume on October 6 does not in any way contradict the position of the federal government. “Please, remember that the condition of Rivers State is peculiar considering the fact that the outbreak of Ebola in our state is the most recent. Rivers State is the state that is currently hard hit by the Ebola disease in Nigeria. Remember, the minister said that schools can resume as from September 22. We have to take into consideration our local concerns”. The commissioner for health warned: “Any school in Rivers State that does not meet the standard of our health regulations will be closed down. We will not accept anything below the required health standard that we have stipulated. Whatever is needful for the schools to meet up with environmental and health requirements will be provided by the state government”. He also appealed to parents not to send their sick children to school, adding, "The regulation of schools will be more rigorous this time around. We acknowledge the reality that we are in an emergency situation right now. But we will do all that is needful to contain the spread of Ebola in Rivers State. “ Also addressing journalists at the briefing, the Country Representative of UNICEF, Jean Gough, who had visited Rivers State to assess the efforts of the Rivers State government in containing the spread of the Ebola virus, commended the response of the government to the outbreak of the disease in state. She said she was in the state to support the efforts of the state in containing the spread of the disease.
"The state government has done well. I ask Nigerians to remain vigilant because the disease is still around us. The good thing is that Nigeria now has
the knowledge of dealing with Ebola. More Nigerian health workers can now be trained by those who have participated in the treatment and management of those who contracted the Ebola virus. “We are proud of Nigeria but at the same time Nigeria now has more work to do because of the movement of people across the border. People keep moving so Nigeria has more work to do to make sure people infected with the virus don’t cross into Nigeria. We are proud of Nigeria’s medical personnel. We suggest that Nigeria should join the African Union and ECOWAS to provide medical personnel to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea”. She also commended the Nigerian media for their coverage of the outbreak of the disease, stating that the media sent out positive messages that contributed to the quick containment of the disease.
“UNICEF appreciates the Nigeria media for giving out the correct message to the public. People believe what you say. The Nigerian media in covering the outbreak of Ebola have been consistent in giving out the right message and it has helped all of us in fighting Ebola,” she said.