By Priscilla Nimako
Big Ada, Feb. 26, GNA- Mr. Joshua Manab, the Assistant Environmental Health Analyst for Ada East District, has expressed worry at frequent invasion of cattle into schools and classrooms in the area.
Mr. Manab said herdsmen and cowboys often leave their cattle to pasture on school compounds and farms without care, a situation he said posed health risks, as the animals could also attack the pupils and cause injuries to them.
He said, “Cattle rearing near school compounds can pose sanitation challenges and health risks to the children and staff and also cause damage to school buildings, fences, and other infrastructure, leading to costly repairs,” he said, adding that “the animals can also contaminate the school environment with their waste, creating insanitary conditions that can spread diseases.”
He said this during a sensitisation programme organised by the Unit of Environmental Health and Sanitation (UEHS), Big Ada Area Council, for herdsmen on the implications of keeping cattle at schools and other places.
Mr. Manab said the cattle carried diseases such as brucellosis, tuberculosis, and leptospirosis which could be transmitted to humans, adding that their manure contained pathogens that could pollute soil and water, while the exposure to cattle dust, manure, and urine could also exacerbate respiratory issues such asthma.
He urged the local authorities and cattle owners to implement measures to control cattle movement as well as their straying into the school, adding that cattle waste must be properly collected, stored, and disposed of.
He also called for the creation of buffers, such as the planting of trees or fence installation, to separate the cattle from the schools, while calling on school authorities to regularly clean and disinfect the school compound to prevent the spread of disease and educate students on the need for hygienic practices to reduce sanitation challenges.
GNA