Ebola In Nigeria: What Atiku, Saraki,Others Have To Say About The Late Ebola Heroine,Dr Adadevoh

Following the death of the Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, her family members have said that they have been left devastated. Adadevoh was the lead doctor who attended to the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, that brought the Ebola Virus Disease to Nigeria. She died on Tuesday night, making her the fifth recorded fatality of the highly contagious disease in Nigeria. One of the deceased’s cousin, Biase, who had led an online campaign urging the United States government and the Western world to release the experimental Zmapp drug to save Adadevoh’s life took to Twitter to mourn her death. In a petition launched on change.org, which gathered over 3,000 signatures, Biase had begged the American government “to help save her life” But she said on Wednesday that she was heartbroken, adding that she “doesn’t know how to feel now.”Writing on her Twitter page, she added, “This is sad. I can’t believe she died. Thank you to everyone that signed and shared the petition. You guys were awesome. She’s at peace now. Not waiting for America to send her drugs.” Kwami, another relative of the late consultant physician with the First Consultants Medical Centre, Lagos, stated that Adadevoh was her “darling cousin.” Noting that the deceased taught him and his younger ones that hard work pays, Kwami explained that her passing was not only sad but was also a great loss to the entire Adadevoh family. He stated that their family had received condolence messages from the Nigerian authorities, through the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babtunde Fashola. He tweeted, “I would like to thank you all for your prayers. Sadly, my darling cousin has been called home. She has finished her course and now rests with God. She was my eldest cousin. “The one who showed us all that it is possible to be chic and hardworking. She was the best student everywhere. We have received condolence messages from Lagos State Governor Babtunde Fashola and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris.” Another relative of the deceased, Wale Kwame, stated that “only God knows” why Ameyo was not part of the survivors of the EVD. “Just lost an aunt to Ebola: Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh. Only God knows best! It really was a funny topic until the whole thing got real,” Kwame wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, tributes have continued to pour in for Adadevoh from prominent Nigerians and her medical doctor colleagues. In the several tributes and eulogies posted online, many Nigerians hailed her as a “heroine” and asked the Federal Government to immortalise her. Atiku, Saraki, Ore Falomo mourn Many described her as a “godly doctor” who stood firm to contain the Ebola virus, putting herself in harm’s way to save millions of Nigerians from the disease. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar said he was “deeply saddened” by her death. “Her dedication ensured the Ebola virus didn’t become an epidemic,” Atiku wrote in a Twitter post. Lawmaker representing the Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki, stated that he was “grateful” to the late physician for detecting the virus from outset. “The Death of Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh of First Consultants that diagnosed Patrick Sawyer of Ebola and stopped him from leaving is a sad and painful one. As a Nigerian, medical doctor and Senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am grateful to the late Dr. Adadevoh for holding fort against the spread of Ebola in our country,” Saraki tweeted. A former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, while commiserating with the deceased’s family, asked them to take solace in her demonstration of patriotism. “What a patriot, committed medical practitioner and doctor of humanity. You gave your life to save the lives of millions. Good night, our doctor. Good night, the true heroine,” Melaye said on Twitter. A medical practitioner, Dr. Chijioke Kaduru, argued that Dr. Adadevoh died because she served humanity. Urging God to remember her invaluable passion for humanity, Kadru stated that Nigerians must not forget her selflessness in a hurry. “She was indeed one of the humanitarian heroes lost to Ebola. We must not forget that. We will never stop being grateful to you and all the other health workers who die, serving. She was welcomed into the bosom of the Lord on World Humanitarian Day. Rest well and may God comfort your clan,” Kaduru added. Meanwhile, another physician, Dr. Ore Falomo has described Adadevoh’s death as painful. In a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, Falomo declined speaking at length about the departed doctor. “I knew her. Colleagues abroad have been calling but this is too painful for words,’’ he said. ‘Give her post-humous award’ Meanwhile, a fresh petition has been hosted on change.org, asking the Federal Government to give a post-humous award in memory of the late doctor. The petition entitled, “Honour the memory of Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh with a National Posthumous Award,” was addressed to the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and the World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr Rui Vaz. The petitioners wrote, “If we don’t celebrate people like this who sacrifice their lives to save others, then please tell me why any of us should do the same. Give honour to whom honour is due.” Government should have given her Nano silver —Cousin Another relative of the late senior doctor, who spoke to our correspondent in Lagos on Wednesday at the First Consultants Hospital in Obalende, however, blamed the Federal Government for her death. The cousin who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that the Federal Government had mismanaged her case by not giving her any of the experimental drugs that were available for the management the disease. He expressed anger that Adadevoh would have survived the disease if the experimental drugs available, including Nano silver, were administered on her. According to him, he is one of the secondary contacts that are being monitored as he had had contact with the deceased the week Sawyer was admitted at the private facility. He said, “We had been shouting that she was in a critical condition since. The Federal Government did not listen to us. We were expecting them to have used the Nano silver or any of the other drugs they had to manage her, yet they did not use them. “If the World Health Organisation could have approved that other experimental drugs be used due to the magnitude of the problem, why should the Federal Government hold back? If they had used all they had at their disposal to treat her, she would have survived.” Another colleague of hers, who is also a consultant at the hospital, described the deceased as a diligent and thorough professional. The doctor, who also craved anonymity, said, “She was very particular about the standard of medical services in the country. She was never ready to compromise the management of a patient. I’m not surprised that she did not discharge Sawyer, and that she alerted the state health authorities. Not many doctors would have done that.” Former student salutes her A former student of the late Adadevoh, Dr. Dan Onwujekwe, has also expressed sadness at the passing of his former teacher. Onwujekwe, a research fellow at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, described Adadevoh as an amiable and hardworking Nigerian who would be sorely missed. “She was my teacher at the College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, Lagos. I had also collaborated with her at the NIMR. She has paid a major sacrifice and she would be missed by all who ever came in contact with her. Without her surveillance, maybe Ebola would have decimated Lagos. To even identify a case is kudos to her. She was vigilant enough but, unfortunately, she paid the supreme price. We owe our safety in Nigeria to her,’’ he said. Meanwhile, the Chairman, Hospital Board of First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, Dr. Wale Balogun, described her death as unfortunate. “It is unfortunate that we lost her. As an individual, I feel very unhappy about it. I have never met her but from what I have heard and read in the newspapers it is very unfortunate that we should lose such a senior consultant with such an experience,” he stated.