About a year ago, Nigeria averted what would have become the most explosive and complex Ebola outbreak in any single country in history. On July 20, 2014 an infected and sick Liberian traveller flew into the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Without disclosing his true state of health, he began to expose unsuspecting Nigerians right from the airport to the private hospital (First Consultant Hospital Obalende) where he was admitted. The Liberian, who died in the hospital on July 25, 2015 initiated a chain of transmission of the disease that spread from Lagos to Port Harcourt and resulted in 19 other cases and seven deaths. Through a rare dint of sacrifice and commitment by some healthcare workers, the outbreak was brought under control within three months in what has been described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a ‘spectacular success story.’

Unfortunately, it is surprising that this victory, unparalleled in the history of Nigeria’s public health sector, has not been adequately recognised by the Federal Government of Nigeria, despite numerous accolades internationally. For instance, the health care workers at the Ebola Emergency Operations Centres (EEOC) in Lagos and Port Harcourt, who made sacrifices and rare commitments to fighting the strange and poorly understood disease, at a time of intense fear and uncertainty, were never publicly recognised. Consequently, non-actors, passive spectators, opportunists and even survivors of the disease have been going around parading themselves as ‘heroes’ that fought the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. Some of them have even shamelessly gone ahead to shoot fictitious films, publish articles in international and national media, and made presentations on television and at international fora, dangerously distorting the true history of the Ebola fight in Nigeria. Additionally, with the help of these individuals, some powerful international media organisations now ascribe the success of the response hugely to external expertise.

On July 15, 2015, US President, Barak Obama, honored eight American professionals as heroes in the Ebola war. Speaking at the White House, he said: “Thanks to their skill; thanks to their courage and their dedication; they, not only helped keep the American people safe, they led a global response.” In the future, history books will quote Obama’s words that, “America led the global response to Ebola.” Where was the voice of Nigeria’s President when his citizens actually provided hope to the world that the West African outbreak could be defeated and showed how it could be done? The leadership provided by the governors of Lagos and Rivers states during the outbreak remains unrecognised by the Federal Government, largely because the Peoples Democratic Government (PDP) government at the helm of affairs in 2014, did not want to promote the efficient and effective leadership provided by these two All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.

Worse still, a section of the Nigerian media has been used to project the health-workers at the First Consultant Hospital, Lagos, as the Ebola heroes. This, despite the hospital failing in its obligation to prevent further transmission of the Ebola infection to its hospital staff, if they had observed basic infection prevention and control procedures. It should be recalled that the hospital lost some of its health workers to Ebola while others survived, and all of them were detected and managed at the Ebola Treatment Centre, Yaba, Lagos, through the effort of some brave and courageous Nigerians who worked at the EEOC. While highly commending the role of a senior doctor at the hospital, Dr Stella Adadevoh, who notified the public health authorities of the first suspect case from Liberia and prevented his escape from the hospital - but unfortunately, succumbed later to the disease herself - projecting this only as the foremost reason why the Ebola outbreak was stopped in Nigeria amounts to a desperate attempt to turn logic on its head and trivialise the tremendous and exceptional efforts that went into stopping the outbreak. Having said that, it also important to note that Dr Adadevoh was a courageous and thoroughbred professional, who should be recognised for her contribution to the Ebola fight as stated above.

The efforts of a group of other patriotic Nigerian experts at the EEOC ensured that all contacts of those who had the disease were identified and monitored daily, and anyone found to manifest symptoms was immediately isolated, tested and treated in the Ebola treatment centres, if confirmed to be Ebola. They also made sure that health workers provided their services safely by reinforcing infection prevention and control measures and processes. These experts were behind the public health messages that were disseminated on radio, television, newspapers, posters, leaflets and in the social media platforms. They also counselled and provided psycho-social support to affected individuals and communities affected by the disease. The response was a huge and complex operation that required intense and effective logistics, supplies, administration and coordination from the EEOC.

The failure of the Federal Government to immediately recognise her citizens, who are the true heroes and thus set the records straight in the public view of the Nigerian and international communities had resulted in the regrettable situation of misinformation surrounding the Ebola outbreak response in Nigeria. However, it’s never too late to do the right thing. A public recognition by the Federal Government would ensure that an unblemished history of the Ebola outbreak response in Nigeria is passed on to future generations. The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has a duty to urgently recommend the genuine Ebola heroes to the government for public recognition. This will not only motivate those gallant health workers that truly put their lives at risk to perform this feat, but will send a message to all Nigerians that outstanding hard work and sacrifice will be appropriately recognised. The Ebola outbreak has been an African tragedy, and a country like Nigeria that mounted an effective response could become a leader and role model in the response to future public health threats in Africa.

•Isah wrote from Abuja and can be reached at moshoodpm@gmail.com. Photo shows Ebola war heroine, the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh.

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