Experts Fault Fumigation Of School In Session As 100 Students Hospitalised In Ekiti

Fumigation experts have knocked the government agency which carried out fumigation exercise of Ekiti State Government-owned College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti while the school was in session.

About 100 students of the school were said to have collapsed and later hospitalised on Wednesday when the fumigation exercise was allegedly carried out by men who claimed to be from the Federal Fire Service.

The pesticides used was said to have given out offensive odour and over 100 female students of the school collapsed immediately.

The development reportedly angered the students who protested and vandalised buildings and vehciles on the school premises.

It was gathered that the fumigation was done against COVID-19.

But a fumigation expert based in Lagos, Mr Wole Olaniyi, told our correspondent that it was wrong to carry out such exercise while the students and staff were still in the school.

He said, ” I don’t know what they fumigated against but before carrying out fumigation exercise, one is supposed to have given the occupant notice and they would love out before fumigation is done.

” Not only that, foodstuffs, drinks and other edible things would be well covered or moved out to avoid accidental ingestion of chemicals by human beings.”

Another fumigation expert, Atinuke Balogun, also said they ought to have waited till the students go on break before doing the fumigation.

She said, ” Pesticides are toxic and that is why we ask occupants of buildings to be fumigated to move out.

” Pets are also to be moved out so that they don’t inhale the chemicals. It is wrong to fumigate a school when students and teachers are still there.”

The Commissioner for Health in Ekiti State, Dr Oyebanji Filani, who confirmed the incident, said 100 students were taken to the State Specialist Hospital, Ijero Ekiti for treatment.

He said the Federal Fire Service officials who carried out the fumigation had been arrested by the police.

Filani said, “Before I left the hospital at Ijero, 64 of them had been discharged, while about 34 are still in the facility. I expect many of them to be at Afe Babalola University Multi-systems Hospital, Ado Ekiti.”