The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has given Dr. Amayo Stella Adadevoh a post-humous Star award for her selfless and heroic service to the country.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaa Adewole, was also honoured for his efforts towards revitalisation of the dilapidated primary health care facilities across the country. The minister had targeted to upgrade 10,000 primary health care centres.
It was at the MDCAN 2018 Public Lecture and Award, with the theme “Politics and Health: Implications of Nexus To The Nigerian Citizen,” in Abuja
Adadevoh was the lead clinician treating Sawyer in the First Consultant Hospital, Lagos, when he was presented to that hospital.
She, in defending the country, refused all entreaties to allow Mr. Sawyer, the Ebola patient leave the hospital to attend the Calabar conference.
The grand-daughter of late Nigerian foremost politician, Herbert Marculay, was eventually diagnosed of the killer virus and died in the process.
The MDCAN star award, which is the highest in the award category, was therefore in recognition of her strength of character and singular ultimate sacrifice to prevent the spread of Ebola virus in Nigeria in 2014.
In his welcome remark, Prof. Ngim Ngim, MDCAN President, said the honour to Adadevoh was deliberate as she was yet to get the recognition that she deserved.
He said, “The honour on late Stella was a deliberate decision as we believe that not enough have been done to appreciate her sacrifice and to immortalised her.”
Ngim also called on the government to do the needful by giving the late Adadevoh the recognition she so much deserve for her heroic act.
He stressed that for her patriotic act, the country would have been in a serious problem at that time; adding that a lot of people would have died in the process as it would have been very difficult to contain the spread of Ebola if she had not played her part very well.
She paid the supreme price with her life to prevent the country from being plunged into serious calamity.
Ngim who also spoke on the theme of the public lecture, urged medical practitioners to play active role in the politics. Stressing that there is no way the practice will address the health challenges without playing politics.
The immediate past Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, on his part blamed some politicians for preventing the past government from honoring the late Adadevoh.
The former minister who was the Chairman of the occasion revealed that the former President Goodluck Jonathan had concluded arrangement to name her along some other Nigerians as national heroes in recognition of their efforts in containing the outbreak of Ebola virus in country when he was advised against the move.
He said: “At a time, I know how many hours I spent on the phone and laptop some time in 2014 with Dr. Rueben Abatan, who you know was the Chief Spokesperson of Mr. President Jonathan,” he said.
He added, “There are people who told Mr. President that this woman cannot be a national hero. Yes but sometimes people just write. Let me tell you it is part of what the guest speaker is going to tell us today on how health mixes with politics.”
“So when someone becomes Mr. President, pity him because he does not take all the decisions but receives blames for what he did not say.”
He, however, assured that he will expose those who went against announcing Adadevoh as a national hero in his book.
Speaking on politics and health, he said even at the World Health Organisation politics goes on.
“Let me just say that health will always be part of politics and politics part of health. Ministers’ are politicians,” he added.
In his lecture, Prof. Akin Osibogun, who was the Guest Speaker, was of the opinion that the contribution of MDCAN may yet set the tone for the expected national debates ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Former Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and public health expert, also revealed that about 70 million Nigerians live below poverty line.
“The poor are more likely to be sick and when sick, least likely to access health services promptly. The cost of illness is not just the cost of treatment, but includes the cost of treatment-seeking activities such as transportation to the hospital.
“Poverty remains a most important determinant of ill-health as it contributes significantly to increased exposure to disease-causing agents and also prevents access to health care services once disease has occurred,” he said.
Other awardees are: Prof. Mohammed Borodo, Emeritus Prof. Umaru Shehu, a royal father, Prof. Itam Hogan Itam, and Prof. Mustapha Abudu Danesi.
MDCAN also recognised it past leaders among who are Prof. Florencio Ike Iweze, Prof. Akitpye Olusegun Coker, Prof. Adenike Grange, Prof. Philip Abiodun, Prof. Edward Ejiro Emuveyan, Prof. Augustine Orhue, Prof. Geoffrey Onyemelukwe, Prof. Stanley Anyanwu, Dr. Wadzani Gashau, Prof. Suleiman Giwa, Dr. Lamidi Isah Audu, Prof. Owoidoho Udofia, Prof. Gadzama and Prof. Balarabe Sani Garko.
