Zoomlion fumigates Mampong School for the Deaf
A waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Ltd, has expressed concern over bed bug infestations in senior high schools (SHSs).
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The Deputy Head of the Vector Control Unit of Zoomlion, Mr Abel Djangmah, explained that aside from the public health nuisance, bed bug infestations had the potential for disease outbreaks.
Mr Djangmah, who was speaking to the press after a fumigation exercise at the Mampong School for the Deaf as part of a donation and public education programme in the Eastern Region to mark Zoomlion’s 10th anniversary, observed that bed bug infestation was becoming predominant in SHSs in the country.
He explained that the situation could largely be attributed to unhygienic practices and over-population in the dormitories.
Fumigation
He said the fumigation exercise was in response to a distress call to his unit by the management of the school as a result of the public health nuisance being caused by bed bugs.
He added that although the chemicals involved were expensive, Zoomlion fumigated the dormitories and departments of the school for free as part of its corporate social responsibility.
"The bed bugs suck the blood of the schoolchildren and expose them to lots of diseases, aside from the public health nuisance they present," he said.
Mr Djangmah said food crumbs and leftovers in the dormitories created breeding grounds for the bed bugs and advised schools to maintain strict hygienic conditions.
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Refusal to sleep in dormitories
The acting Assistant Headmaster of the school, Mr Stanley Semenhyia, stated that for some months now students had refused to sleep in the dormitories due to the presence of bed bugs.
He indicated that that was a great source of worry for the management and expressed gratitude to Zoomlion for the gesture.
He indicated that the school had previously invested heavily in fighting the bugs but to no avail.
Mr Semenhyia was, however, optimistic that the fumigation exercise would go a long way to improve teaching and learning in the school.
Reason for request
The House One Mistress of the school, Ms Ivy Danquah, stated that traditional methods employed to tackle the menace had all proved futile, hence the decision to request assistance from Zoomlion Ghana.
She said students could not concentrate in class because they were always itching as a result of bites from the bugs.
A Communications Officer of Zoomlion, Mr Adams Mohammed Mahama, indicated that the fumigation exercise would be replicated in other schools at the request of the authorities of those schools to promote health and safety.
The fumigation exercise at the Mampong School for the Deaf was coordinated by the Communications Department of Zoomlion Ghana, which receives and processes all complaints and requests.