Snakebites kill teachers in Afram Plains

Two teachers in Afram Plains in the Eastern Region of Ghana, have died as a result of their inability to receive medical care in that part of the country after they suffered snakebites.

The Basic Education Coordinator for the Afram Plains North District, Taihdu Mohammed, while speaking in an interview with TV3’s Komla Adom in the ‘Education Reforms’ documentary produced by TV3, attributed the situation to the lack of electricity in most communities in the area.

Taihdu Mohammed told Komla Adom that the teachers died because there were no anti-Snake venom serum in the health facilities at Donkokrom where they were sent to for medical attention.

He further revealed that parents of the other teachers who were fortunate to have survived snakebites have evacuated them from the area to their respective hometowns to ensure their safety.

“Because there is no light, there is no solar and other things most of the children come there and they are getting snakebite and when they send them to Donkorkrom hospital they don’t even have the medicine to treat them.

“Two teacher have died because of this snakebite on the islands , three of them were cured and later, their parents came that they will not allow their children to stray in Afram Plains so quickly they took them from this place”

Meanwhile the Ghana Education Service (GES) has acknowledged the challenges that teachers are saddled with in Afram Plains and in all parts of the country.

To that end, the GES said measures have been put in place to deal with these issues.

Deputy Director General of the GES, Mr Anthony Boateng, who admitted that these are real challenges indicated that the issues need a multi stakeholder approach to solve them.

“These are issues that must be tackled holistically and across agencies and across sectors. I can assure you something is being done. For example, as I speak to you, there is a committee that is working on identification of what we call deprived schools.

“So that some motivations can go to teachers who are accept postings to these areas. We expect the committee to finish its work and present its report in the coming weeks. We are also aware of efforts by government to provide housing for teachers. So it is our prayer and hope that all these initiatives will materialise,” he also told Komla Adom in the documentary.