Lagos
State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has said that the successful containment of
Ebola in Nigeria is not the work of President Goodluck Jonathan or the Peoples
Democratic Party
The
recent claims by President
Goodluck Jonathan that his administration conquered Ebola have
elicited a response from Governor Babatunde
Fashola of Lagos State, where the first case of the disease was
recorded.
Governor
Fashola reportedly said during his Independence
Day address yesterday, October 1, that politicians cannot take
credit for a battle that was won by health workers.
He
said:
“I have heard some stories emanating from campaign
podiums with claims of conquering Ebola,” “The question we must ask is whether
those who make these claims saw Ebola?
“It is women like Stella Ameyo Adadevoh to whom such a
claim rightly belongs. “It is young Nigerians like Dr. Morris Ibeawuchi, who
first made contact with the index case patient and continued to treat him who
saw and conquered Ebola.
“He got infected, from doing his job, got sick, survived
and is back to his job. “It is first responders from the Lagos State Ministry
of Health like Dr. Jide Idris, Dr. Yewande Adesina, Dr. Wale Ahmed, Dr. Kayode
Oguntimehin who saw Ebola.”
“They responded to the call from First Consultant
Hospital. They spent 12 (Twelve) hours daily in the early days supervising the
construction of Ebola containment facility when the epidemic broke.”.
“Those patients vented their anger on these people when
they had to be moved to create room for the Ebola centre. I know they spat at
Dr. Adesina for doing her job.
“Dr. Abdul-Salam Nasidi of the National Disease Control
Centre in Abuja saw and conquered Ebola. He helped in no small way to
co-ordinate the containment.”
“Dr. David Brett-Mayor of the World Health Organization
saw and conquered Ebola. He single handedly started the Ebola isolation ward
having cleared and cleaned the room. He admitted and cared for the patients
before any Nigerian doctor joined him.”
“Professor S. A. Omilabu, the dedicated virologist at
LUTH, saw Ebola and conquered it. He coordinated the fault free testing for
Ebola and managed all the samples professionally.
“Peter Adewuyi saw Ebola and conquered it. He led the
contact tracing team of many dedicated officers for the first 2 (two) weeks.
“Mrs. Funmi Lagbokun, Mrs. Modupe Aiyedun Davies, Mrs.
Basirat Adeoye, Ms F. O. Bamgboye, Mrs. K. O. Oshisanya, Mrs. Kazeem Abioye,
Mrs. Abiola Lasaki and Mrs. K. Adeshina all saw and conquered Ebola.
“They were the dedicated team of nurses, nursing aid,
care giver, health assistant and hygienist who commenced work voluntarily in
the Ebola containment ward without any demand other than the sense of duty.
“Yemi Gbadegesin and Abdulsalam saw and conquered Ebola.
They coordinated the de-contamination, removal and burial of the index case and
other cases, and it is because of them that First Consultant can re-open for
business.
“Dear Lagosians, these were the people who saw and
defeated Ebola. Let no person tell you otherwise.
“These men and women, who showed courage, who risked
their lives are our true champions and heroes.
“They showed the spirit of service, the spirit of Lagos
and the spirit of our “good old days”. “Nobody should take this credit away
from them.
“They are not celebrating because they know that the work
is not finished. They are already working with our people and planning to
volunteer to go and give help in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
“Their reward for hard work will be more work and they
tell me that they are ready,” Mr. Fashola added.
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