Two months after Queens College, Yaba, Lagos was shut, following outbreak of diarrhoea that claimed the lives of three students and rendered dozens hospitalized, normal academic activities for the 2ndterm are to begin 1st May, 2017 after resumption of the various categories of students. Blueprint gathered that the Lagos State government had earlier given green light for the resumption of the educational institution, based on satisfactory results from the analysis of samples of all water from delivery points in the school, even as 37 students had been discharged after being on admission in various private and public hospitals in the state.
Reports have it that announcing the resumption in a circular, the school management directed all Senior Secondary School students to report at the school on Saturday 29th April, while the Junior Secondary School students are to report the next day, Sunday 30th April, 2017. It was noted that for none exam classes, 3rd term fees would be paid at the end of the 2nd term. Th e circular reads: “With all glory to God, we welcome back our Queens to complete the 2nd term. While we apologise for all the inconveniences you have been through, we are compelled for health reasons to request that all students except those in the old and new PTA hostels should return to school with brand new mattresses, treated mosquito nets, 5-litre kegs and other school items.”
In an update, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, said control measures had been put in place by the school authority in collaboration with the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Old Girls Association and the Federal Ministry of Education. Th e 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, as well as periodic testing and retesting of water sources in line with international best practices. Idris, who commiserated with families that lost their children, also called for vigilance and continuous screening and monitoring of the school and students, but emphasised 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 poly-microbial nature of the outbreak. Th e Commissioner who revealed that four out of the 25 infected kitchen staff that were treated and retested still harbor some bacteria recommended that they be made to undergo further treatment and be redeployed from the kitchen area. He said while no new case of the disease has been reported since the last case was discharged on the 18th of April, 2017, sporadic cases may still occur due to multi-microbial nature of the disease occurrence.
