Nigerian government set to honor late Lagos doctor, as Association of meat sellers lament drastic decline in sales since Ebola outbreak!

Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, will in the next few days be honoured by President Goodluck Jonathan, for her commitment to the service of humanity, and ensuring that Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) did not spread beyond what it is now, a commitment which led to her untimely death.

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, disclosed this when the Association of Private Medical Practitioners visited him in Abuja, on Friday.

However, Nigeria has now recorded two more cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) from secondary contacts to the index case.

While applauding the efforts of private medical practitioners, Chukwu said the roles of the First Consultant Hospital and the late Dr Adadevoh were very crucial in ensuring that the virus did not spread as in other countries.

He said the role of private medical practitioners have become sacrosanct, saying, "Particularly now that public medical practitioners, doctors, are on strike.

"You have lost one of your colleague, Dr Adadevoh; we mourn her and all Nigerians who lost their lives to Ebola. We will ensure that her bravery, courage and patriotism do not go unnoticed,

Chukwu told the private medical practitioners led by Dr Frank Odake: "Very soon, you will hear about her honour. Very soon, the number one citizen will say something about it."

The minister who earlier briefed journalists on the update of the EVD said: "Nigeria has now recorded the first two cases of Ebola Virus Disease in secondary contacts of the index case, the Liberian-American.

"The two patients are spouses of primary contacts of the Liberian-American. They are among the secondary contacts who have been under surveillance.

"This now brings to four, the total number of Ebola Virus Disease patients currently under treatment at the isolation ward.

"This also means that the total number of cases of Ebola Virus Disease so far reported in the country is 14. The number of deaths still remains five, while the number of those successfully managed and discharged also stands at five.

"The Federal Government, working with the Lagos State Government and other partners, will continue to maintain vigilance, continue to strengthen our containment activities, and wishes to reassure the Nigerian public and the global community that we will not relent in our efforts until the very last case of the Ebola Virus Disease is seen in Nigeria."

Meanwhile, following the assertion by medical practitioners that Ebola could be caught through consumption of bushmeat, there has been and outcry by bush meat sellers that the pronouncement is gradually running them out of business.

It was gathered that the Association of Meat Sellers during the week staged a protest in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, debunking the claims by the medical practitioners.

Saturday Independent traced the bushmeat sellers to their depot at Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan, where their leader, Chief (Mrs) Risikat Odeyemi, 67, who has been in the business for 50 years, expressed reservation over the doctors' claim.

She said members of her association had become idle since the unfortunate report, and to confirm her claim, not a single customer came to inquire about bushmeat all through the time our reporter was with the group.

This, according to her, was unusual, saying that before the report, customers used to park vehicles and wait for them to prepare the meat for them to buy.