Ebola: FG, NMA Agree On Schools’ Resumption Date

The Federal Government and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have finally reached an agreement on the September 22 resumption of schools nationwide.

The Nation reports that the NMA agreed to the September 22 schools' resumption date announced by the federal government at a stakeholders' meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Education.

The association said the date was acceptable and that schools should resume "in order not to feed into the fear monster in the country."

The NMA however gave some provisions to be followed to keep the country safe. They are:

- Maintain highest level of vigilance in the several entry points in the country.

- International Port Health Services should be put in the highest level of vigilance and preparedness to screen those coming into the country.

- Resuscitate infectious disease hospital in states.

- Ensure comprehensive screening of travelers.

All recent travelers to all the provinces of the current endemic countries of the Ebola disease – namely Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Sudan and Gabon-must be carefully scrutinized for the presence of the virus and epidemiologically treated accordingly.

Nigeria's Ministry for Education had announced that all public and private schools would remain shut till October as part of the "preventive measures" against the Ebola virus, which was brought into Nigeria in July.

However after a review, the Federal Government moved the resumption date to 22 September, 2014.

This sparked controversy as the Nigerian doctors did not agree with the resumption date.