Coronavirus cases in Senior High Schools to escalate – Health expert

A Private Medical Practitioner, Dr. Derrick Owusu, says the number of Covid-19 cases among final year students in some Senior High Schools in the country is likely to escalate if stringent preventive measures are not taken.

This comes after quite a number of students of Accra Girls’ Senior High School and other Senior High Schools tested positive for coronavirus.

Following the development some unions including the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) have called on government to close down schools.

NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu said the present development raised concerns of fear over what may be happening in other schools across the West African country.

In an interview with host of Atinka FM’s AM Drive, Ekourba Gyasi, Private Medical Practitioner, Dr. Derrick Owusu appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to take into consideration the health of the students even though the education of the students is equally important.

He called on government to consider closing down the schools until further notice.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Ghana Education Service (G.E.S) Council, Michael Nsowah, says the covid-19 cases recorded in the Senior High Schools across the country have not gotten out of hands.

“We can only win this war when we listen to the experts. I am saying this because of the isolated cases. Does that mean that all the 300,000 students are at risk because 12 or 15 out of this number have tested positive to the virus. During normal exams when they is no pandemic, we record more than 100 absentees what accounts for that number of absenteeism? The solution is to enforce the measures to ensure the safety of the students,” he explained.

He said the GES is, however, in talks with the Ministry of Health and that if they advise GES to close down schools, it will be carried out immediately.