Bed bugs invade Adisadel College

Shirley Asiedu Addo Apr - 11 - 2015 , 09:14

Adisadel College in Cape Coast is spending Ghc15,000 to combat bed bugs that have infested the school.

The insects were said to have attacked the school about two weeks ago infesting classrooms, dormitories, dining halls, assembly halls and library.

The headmaster of the school, Mr William Kusi-Yeboah said the situation would certainly have a toll on the schools finances.

Adisadel College is not alone. Bed bugs have infested almost all boarding schools in the Cape Coast metropolis.

Some headmasters are trying hard to eradicate the pests before school re-opens later this month.

Schools in the metropolis have a perennial infestation but according to some students the situation is worse this year.

The student body is on vacation but the form three students are still on campus writing their West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Adisadel College, has contracted Zoomlion to embark on a three day fumigation exercise to clear the insects.

The fumigation exercise began on Friday and would run through the weekend.

When Graphiconline visited the school on Friday all mattresses had been brought out of the dormitories and fumigated.

Personnel of Zoomlion were also seen mixing chemicals and spraying the facilities.

Zoomlion

There were nine workers and two supervisors undertaking the exercise.

According to the Head of Environment and Sanitation at the Central Regional office of Zoomlion, Mr Gideon Sogbey said the insects were the tropical type and were very “stubborn” to deal with.

He said they breed very fast saying in a day one bed bug can lay about 300 eggs which hatch very quickly.

Mr Sogbey described it as a general infestation of Adisadel College.

He said Zoomlion had adopted a special oil based chemical to combat the infestation because the insects have developed resistance to some of the usual chemicals used to combat them.

He explained that the infestation was partly due to the weather conditions andbad hygienic practices.

The fumigation he said was expected to last the school six months after which they would have to fumigate again.

Headmaster

Mr Kusi-Yeboah said the situation was a bit worrying this year.

He said though the school was fumigated termly, the school wanted to deal with the infestation more permanently.

This year, he said the school is spending Ghc15,000 on the fumigation alone.

He said the school spent about Ghc10,000 fumigating the school every term.

He suggested for government to liaise with Zoomlion to fumigate the schools termly

saying “the health of the students is paramount”.

Metal Beds

He called for steel bed rather than wooden beds saying the wooden beds complicate the problem.

He said it was worrying that government was still supplying metal beds with wooden pallets and added said the school has initiated moves to phase out all wooden beds.

Mr Kusi-Yeboah described the problem as a “national crisis” facing all schools.