Muslim Students Caution Sanwo-Olu Against ‘Hasty’ Reopening Of Schools

Assembly Urges Gov To Accredit More Private Hospitals

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in Lagos State has cautioned Lagos State Government against “hasty” reopening of schools.

The Amir (President) of the MSSN in Lagos State, Dr. Saheed Ashafa, who stated this in a statement yesterday, cautioned that schools should only be reopened when adequate preparations must have been made.

According to him, many schools lack adequate facilities that will enable them comply with the COVID-19 preventive guidelines.

He said: “Since the government is expected to protect the lives of the people, it should weigh the available options, do the analysis and come out with a conclusion on whether it is more beneficial to take examinations at this moment or not, rather than following a bandwagon announcement of school reopening.”

In another development, Lagos State House of Assembly has urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately direct his Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, to accredit more private hospitals in collaboration with the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) to treat those that are infected with the COVID-19.

The Assembly, which gave the advice during its plenary, yesterday, in a motion titled: “Need To Allow Private Hospitals Participate in the Treatment of COVID-19 Patients,” sponsored by the lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo 1, Hakeem Sokunle, expressed concern over the rapid rate at which the pandemic is spreading, stressing: “The situation appears to have gone beyond what the government alone could handle without engaging members of the state chapter of NMA and more private medical personnel.”

Sokunle added that the state government should empower doctors in public hospitals to train those in the private hospitals, screen their facilities and validate their equipment before they are certified and accredited to treat coronavirus patients.

The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, said it was important that the NMA join hands with the government to reduce the spread of the disease.