Waste Management giant, Zoomlion Ghana Ltd has expressed concern about bedbug infestation in the Mampong School for the Deaf.

The company was previewed to this information during a donation and public education programme in the Eastern region as part of its 10th Anniversary.

The Deputy Head of the Vector Control Unit of Zoomlion, Abel Djangmah explains that aside the public health nuisance, bedbugs infestation has the potential for disease outbreaks.

Abel Djangmah who was speaking to the press after a fumigation exercise at the Akropong School for the Deaf observed that bedbug infestation is becoming predominant in Senior High Schools in the country. He explained that the situation can largely be attributed to unhygienic practices and over population at the various dormitories.

Mr. Djangmah mentioned that the fumigation exercise was in response to a distress call placed to his unit by management of the school following the public health nuisance being caused by the bed bugs.

He added that, although the chemicals involved are expensive, Zoomlion fumigated the dormitories of the Senior High department of the school for free as part of its corporate social responsibility.

"The bed bugs suck the blood of the school children and expose them to lots of diseases, aside the public health nuisance it presents" he explained. He said food crumbs and leftovers in the dormitories create breeding grounds for the bed bugs and advised the schools to maintain strict hygienic conditions.

Stanley Semenhyia, the acting assistant Headmaster, Senior High Technical School for the Deaf mentioned that for some months students refuse to sleep in the dormitories due to the presence of bed bugs.
The Headmaster indicated that this has been a great source of worry for management of the school and expressed gratitude to Zoomlion for the gesture. He mentioned that the school had previously invested heavily in fighting the bugs all to no avail.

He was optimistic that the fumigation exercise would go a long way to improve the teaching and learning process in the school.

Ivy Danquah, the House One Mistress of the school stated that traditional methods employed to tackle the menace have all proved futile hence the decision to request assistance from Zoomlion Ghana.

She mentioned that students fail to concentrate in class because they are always itching as a result of bites from the bugs

The Communications Officer, Adams Mohammed Mahama also mentioned that the fumigation exercise would be replicated in other schools to promote health and safety but at the request of the school authorities.

The fumigation exercise at the Akropong School for the Deaf was coordinated by the communications department of Zoomlion Ghana which receives and processes all complaints and requests.