Schools take preventive measures against contagious diseases
HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The HCM City Department of Education and Training
has instructed managers of schools to take preventive measures against the
spread of contagious disease among students.
Managers of schools should carry out strict surveillance to detect and isolate
children, teachers and other staff who have a fever, cough, runny nose, or red
rash.
These patients should stay at home and only resume going to school when they
are free from the symptoms to avoid transmitting the infection to others.
Students with a fever should be taken to the school’s medical room and their
parents will then be called to take them to a doctor for a health exam.
Schools’ health officials must compile a list and report students with
contagious diseases to health stations in wards and communes, and health
centres in districts.
Kindergarten teachers are required to ask parents about their children’s health
before they leave for school each morning.
School managers should ensure hygiene on their campus and disseminate
preventive measures to teachers and students.
According to the municipal Preventive Health Centre, 347 children contracted
hand-foot-mouth disease from September 21-29, an increase of 114 against the
previous four weeks. Thirty-two people contracted measles, an increase of 17
compared to the previous four weeks.
The city’s Department of Health is working with the Department of Education and
Training to monitor contagious diseases at schools, especially
hand-foot-mouth diseases in kindergarten and nurseries.
Late last week, the health department carried out an unannounced inspection about
hygiene and other preventive measures against the disease among several
kindergartens in the city.
At Ward 1 Kindergarten in District 10, where two children were diagnosed with
hand-foot-mouth disease, the school’s managers took preventive measures, including
disinfection.
The two children, who had a fever and sore throat, stayed home and did not
attend school.
Dr Nguyen Huu Hung, Vice Director of the Department of Health, instructed
kindergarten teachers to urge children to wash their hands more regularly.
Toys and other devices in the kindergarten should also be disinfected.
The neighbouring province of Binh Duong has also seen an upward trend of
hand-foot cases since August.
In August and September, the province saw more than 2,400 incidences of the
disease, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total since the beginning of
the year.
The provincial Department of Education and Training in cooperation with health
officials have improved communication among teachers and staff about the need
for preventive measures.-VNS/VNA