Posted on: Thu 21-08-2014

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has praised the health workers managing the patients of Ebola Virus Disease in the country for their courage, compassion and sacrifice.

Prof. Chukwu was speaking while declaring open the annual general meeting of the Nigerian Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (NAPRAS) at the Top Rank Hotel in Abuja, on Thursday.

The minister who observed that nine of the twelve confirmed cases were either medical doctors or nurses, singled out the most senior physician that managed the index case, the late Dr Ameyo Adedavoh for her exceptional bravery, saying she paid with her life to ensure that many other Nigerians were not contaminated by the virus.

“Dr. Adedavoh took the brunt of physically blocking the patient from running away from the First Consultants Hospital which would have not only infected more people but also make contact tracing difficult. I am confident that she will be honoured by Nigeria at the appropriate time”, he said.

On the status of Ebola Virus Disease in the country, Prof. Chukwu said the total number of confirmed cases still stood at twelve, with five dead, five successfully managed and discharged, while the remaining two were currently undergoing treatment at the isolation ward in Lagos.

He however noted that with a good number of secondary contacts yet to complete the 21-day incubation period, the possibility of two or three more cases could not be entirely ruled out.

The minister who faulted the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) restated that the federal government has fulfilled over 80 percent of its own part of the agreement with the association, adding that the process of resolving outstanding issues was already in progress.

He blamed the leadership of the NMA in particular for the strike, and recalled that as the president of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), he once stepped aside and offered to resign his position rather than be pushed into an unnecessary strike by members over issues he was convinced could be resolved amicably through more dialogue.

The minster regretted that despite several protracted meetings with the NMA, including the intervention of senior members of the profession, the NMA had remained adamant.

He also disclosed that President Gooluck Jonathan personally met twice with the NMA without the minister of health being in the meeting in the president’s bid to get to the root of the matter, regretting that it was all in vain.

Earlier in his speech, the president of the association, Prof. Simon Yiltok said this year’s scientific conference and annual general meeting coincided with the 20th anniversary of the association, saying it would focus on latest advances in the field while drawing public attention to their special relevance in medical care.

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