Deaths At SHSs; NUGS Petitions WHO, WAHO, UNICEF UNDP et al To Intervene

The National Union of Ghana Students on Wednesday sent a petition to a number of agencies including the WHO, WAHO, UNICEF, Parliament of Ghana and other sector players to come to the aid of their Colleagues at the various senior high schools across the country.

A delegation of five led by President of NUGS (Leader) Frank Amoakohene in the company of the General Secretary Kabu Nartey ; the Treasurer, Derrick Abotsi, the Projects and Programs Secretary, Solomon Ananpansah and Mr Osei Yeboah Richard, the NAHSAG, presented the petition various agencies Wednesday, 14th December, 2017.

"The students of Ghana are in great shock and fear their lives averred the continuous mysterious death of over 25 students and the undetermined fate of over 40 others in some Senior High Schools in the country. Reports from Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research confirms the outbreak of H1N1 influenza and meningitis in the country. Averred efforts by government and local authorities to controlling the outbreak, we have received calls from various schools aside its visit and have appreciated through the media that the situation is compounding by the day. We need not burry more of our brothers and sisters before appreciating the colossal damages. We need not be indifferent about the increasing deaths of our youth in this country".

Over 25 Ghanaian students have died, over 30 hospitalized and over a dozen under close surveillance in different parts of Ghana, in the spate of just 2-3 weeks. The spontaneity of these deaths has resulted in shock and horror among students of these schools, the public and the nation. More and more cases are reported each day. Whilst health officials are giving their word to keeping public order, it seems these are becoming “damage controls” to avert mass chaos which has already catch up with victims and the public. People fear there shall be a state emergency soon should this continue without timely any clearly defined effort by the Ministry of Health, to bringing the situation under control. The media has been left in these “dark times” to only report without little or no positive follow ups by relevant local and national bodies.

The causes of some of these deaths have been established following a test at the Nuguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. Sample-fluids of some victims were sent the center; tested and results confirmed positive.

The Kumasi Academy Senior High in the Ashanti Region ; the Koforidua Secondary Technical in the Eastern Region ( cause of death yet to established ) ; the St Martins School also in the Eastern corridors ; and recently the Damongo Senior High School in the Gonja West of the Northern Region

The Leadership of NUGS has further called on the Parliament of Ghana to summon the ministers of health and education to account for the measures put up to contain the situation.