Today more than 700 thousand students are returning to classes after a week's holiday, despite the alert of the influenza A (H1N1) virus which has taken 12 lives so far.
Teachers´ leader Yadira Pino said that it is not sensible to restart classes when we are not sure if all children have been vaccinated and there is no sanitary conditions in schools. 'There are limitations that do not allow that the minimum measures of health are met in schools such as, for example, the lack of water', she said.
The leader considers that they have left the responsibility to the parents and teachers, when it is a problem owned by everyone.
'It's a situation that can become a more serious issue, if measures are not taken. This week could have been used to verify if schools are in optimal conditions for students to return', she claimed.
The teacher said that whatever happens in schools will be the direct responsibility of the Ministers of Health and the Minister of Education.
'There is no seriousness in the treatment of an important issue, which may cause a pandemic, if all the necessary precautions should not be taken' The teachers´ leader added.
Meanwhile, Diógenes Sánchez, Secretary General of the Association of Professors, agreed with Pino in that most public schools do not count on enough hygienic conditions to be able to confront this virus.
He said that the Ministry of Education (Meduca) has not taken any precaution against Influenza A (H1N1), but has only taken preventive measures.
'I am worried because with the restart of classes, what predominates is the agglomeration of students in both classrooms and cafeterias. The Government has taken this matter with great patience and has recommended to simply wash hands and I ask myself how children will do if there is no water in many schools' he regretted.
According to Mr. Sanchez, Meduca should make sure that all schools had water, that sinks were repaired and alcoholate gel supplied so as to avoid possible contagion.
'It seems that the President cannot understand the reality of schools' the educator said.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Carlos Staff, explained that public health issues are a priority for health authorities, with whom they have made coordination and established communication, they have arrived at the decision that it was not necessary to postpone the restart of classes.
'If the Ministry of Health had stated that we had to suspend classes, we would have done so... the Ministry has not made that warning as technical perspectives that exist do not require this', he said.
Yesterday, President Juan Carlos Varela confirmed that within two weeks, Panama must receive 1.5 million doses of the influenza vaccine, the entire population should be expected to be vaccinated.