The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Health, has planned an emergency vaccination exercise for students of King’s College Annexe, Victoria Island, following the recent Diphtheria outbreak in the school.
According to a notice of invitation issued to the press on Monday, the Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, said the measure is part of the state government’s efforts to curb the spread of the disease.
“This proactive measure is part of the government’s urgent response to curb the spread of the disease and protect public health. Senior government officials, including health experts, will be available to address media inquiries on the outbreak, ongoing containment efforts, and the broader diphtheria vaccination campaign in Lagos State,” Ogunbanwo stated.
The PUNCH reports that the state government convened a meeting of critical stakeholders in the health sector as concerns rose over the outbreak of Diphtheria in King’s College in Lagos.
The Special Adviser to the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, confirmed this to The PUNCH on Sunday.
She said stakeholders, including representatives of the World Health Organisationn and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, met on Sunday evening over the matter noting the government was working hard on the matter.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported on Sunday that parents of students in King’s College, Lagos, were worried over reports of a suspected Diphtheria outbreak in the school that led to the hospitalisation of some students.
The parents, who spoke in separate interviews with NAN on Sunday, blamed the outbreak on the unsanitary condition of the school.
A parent, who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation, faulted the management of the school for its seeming silence and not swinging into action promptly in the face of the outbreak.
The parent said, “If there are no cases, why are the students mandated to wear nose masks, and some of them taken to Lagos University Teaching Hospital for treatment?
“There were cases late last year. We heard that officials of the World Health Organisation were in the school yesterday (Saturday) to sensitise the students on preventive measures against diphtheria. Why is the school secretive about the issue?
“Parents had complained several times about the poor environmental sanitation of the school and toilets, including food given to the students. Students even complain about some members of the food committee and what they do.
“A few weeks ago, some parents raised concerns that their children had fallen sick and were diagnosed with diphtheria at the hospital. Even some PTA Exco don’t like parents to openly complain about such.
“Last week, the school sent a message to parents to sign a consent form that would enable their children to receive diphtheria vaccines on the school premises.”
A copy of the consent form obtained by NAN showed that the routine immunisation was done by the school in collaboration with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board through the Eti-Osa Local Government.
Another parent lamented about the state of the college clinic, stressing the need for a medical doctor to consult there regularly for it to operate optimally.(Punch)
