The survivors in attendance included the widow of late Port Harcourt doctor, Dr Emenuo Kelechi (left), Dr Ibeawuchi Morris (second left), Dr Fadipe Akinniyi (centre), Mr. Dennis Akagha (late Nurse Justina Ejelonu's fiance) and Dr Adaora Igonoh. See more photos after the cut...
While sharing their experiences, one of the survivors and staff of First Consultant Hospital, Dr. Ibeabuchi Morris, said he was the first to receive late Sawyer at the hospital where he was first treated for Malaria.
He
said after the patient continued to have high temperature, he took
the blood sample and sent it to the laboratory, then contacted Dr.
Stella Adadevoh who advised him to continue attending to the patient
pending the arrival of the test result. He said when the blood result
arrived it was confirmed that he was EVD positive. Sawyer died a few
days later.
Dr. Ibeabuchi disclosed that
he started manifesting symptoms of the disease 12 days later as his
body temperature continued to rise beyond 38.5 degrees Celsius. He said
when his condition continued to degenerate, he reported to the
Lagos State Ministry of Health and was advised to restrict his contact
with members of his family.
According to him, his body
temperature got to an all time high of over 40 degrees at which point
the Medical team from Lagos State came and took him to the isolation
centre after decontaminating his house. He thanked the Lagos State
Government and all the other agencies and individuals who took care of
him and made it possible for him to survive.
Another survivor,
Dr. Adaora Igonoh, thanked the Lagos State Governor and the Government
for their dedication in the battle to contain the spread of the disease
which, according to her, made it possible for some victims, including
herself to survive the virus.
Dr. Igonoh, who is also a staff of
First Consultants Hospital, commended the hospital and the staff for the
risk they took to ensure that the disease did not spread beyond the
limit it did. She also paid tribute to those who lost their lives, adding that without their sacrifice, the story would
probably have been different.
Also giving his testimony, Mr.
Dennis Akagha, fiancee to Justina Akagha, a nursing staff of First
Consultants Hospital who died days after attending to Patrick Sawyer,
said he got to hear about his fiancee's contact with Sawyer when the death
of the Liberian was announced on television. She later told him she'd treated Sawyer.
He said when the symptoms
of the disease started manifesting in Justina, they first thought it was
pregnancy induced or Malaria because she'd told him she wore
protective gloves while attending to Sawyer. He said that on the
14th day, Justina's condition worsened and he took her to First
Consultants from where he was directed to the Isolation Centre in
Yaba where she later passed on.
He disclosed that he did
not immediately go to hospital when he started manifesting the symptoms
until he started vomiting and feeling dehydrated. He said he was
finally taken to the Isolation Centre where he was treated and
discharged after he tested negative of the virus.
Other survivors
who gave testimonies were Dr. Fadipe Akinniyi, also a staff of First
Consultants Hospital and Dr. (Mrs.) Kelechi Emenuo, wife of late Dr.
Emenuo, who treated one of Mr. Sawyer’s companions in Port Harcourt and
later died of the disease.
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