By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Federal Ministry of Environment and Education have deepened their efforts in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Towards this end the Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, has presented certificate of Decontamination/Disinfection of schools to his Education counterpart, Mallam Adamu Adamu in Abuja.
This is as Abubakar Adamu, to implement resolution of 8th National Council on Environment on establiment of Environmental Health Departments in tertiary institutions.
He said that the establishment of the departments in the tertiary educational institutions across the country was to ensure professionalim in the discharge of environmental health and sanitation services.
He said that the visit was aimed to consolidate on the gains so far recorded in inter-ministerial collaboration between the both ministeries in the wake of the pandemic bedeviling the country.
According to him, as members of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 the two ministries are key in the prevention, containment and management of the Coronavirus disease.
“The need to be proactive cannot be over emphasised as the PTF is still considering how best to re-open schools.
“In order not to be an unwary agent of the spread of COVID: 19 among learners and care givers in various schools nationwide which have remained closed since February 2020,” he said.
The minister recalled that the collaboration the ministry had with various ministeries in a view to decontaminate/disinfect unity schools last year was utilised.
Abubakar added that the environmental health surveillance staged by environmental health emergency volunteer corp at the Senior School Certificate Examination Centres across the country recorded a huge success.
He mentioned some of the roles the ministry contained in the guidelines, which include developing detailed protocols.
“Also, establishment and maintaining prescribed hygiene standards and practices such as Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) provisions.
“This is paramount in the assurance of safety health and well being of members of the learning environment,” he said.
Abubakar said that the environmental health action would not be limited to a one off decontamination/disinfection.
He added that the exercise would be a continues primary preventive measure and integrated with disinfestation of school environments.
He said that the effort was to get rid of pests and vectors diseases that are dangerous for the health of inhabitants of those premises.
Responding, Adamu said that the visit was a welcomed effort, adding that it shows effectiveness commitment in the fight against the pandemic.
He thanked the environment minister in ensuring that the school environments were decontaminated/disinfeted, adding that it would help to protect the premises from various diseases.
“I want to thank the minister in his efforts, thank you for what you are doing to the schools and what you are also planing to do to prevent more spread of the diseases in various schools.
Adamu said that he would make sure that the certificate presented would be sent to schools.
Mr Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary of education also thanked the environment ministry on his collaborative effort in the fight against the pandemic.
Echono said the ministry would as well ensure that the students and the environment were safe and healthy.
