Dr. Stella Adadevoh, First Doctor To Attend To Liberian Patrick Sawyer, Dies Of Ebola

Dr. Ameyo Stella Adedavoh, the doctor who was the first to attend to Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer, has died.

Dr. Ameyo Stella AdadevohThe death of Adadevoh, which occurred on Tuesday, has not yet been confirmed by Nigeria's health authorities. But a source close to the Adadevoh confirmed her passing to SaharaReporters.

Adedavoh becomes the fourth Nigerian to die from the virus, excluding Sawyer. 

The Honourable Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, later confirmed the death but avoided mentioning her name. His Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dan Nwomeh, released a statement on his behalf, saying the death of "one of the primary contacts of the index Ebola Virus Disease case, the most senior doctor who participated in the management of the patient, a female consultant physician," occurred this evening.

The statement added: "With this unfortunate development, the total number of Ebola Virus-related deaths in Nigeria now stands at five. The other two patients currently under treatment in the isolation wards are stable and are being taken care of."

Ebola: NBA urged to cancel annual conference

The Chairman of Governing Council of National Human Rights Commission, HNRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, to cancel its annual conference slated for Owerri, Imo State over the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD outbreak in the country.

Odinkalu in a statement, yesterday, said "As its contribution to the current measures to control and manage the public health emergency caused by the presence of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria, the NBA has a responsibility to defer its annual conference scheduled to take place in Owerri, from 24 until 29 August 2014. It will be ill-judged to continue with the conference in the circumstances of the present public health emergency prevailing in the country.

"On August 8, the World Health Organisation, WHO,  declared the current outbreak of the EVD in West Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC. On the same day, Nigeria's Federal Government proclaimed a nation-wide public health emergency for the same reasons.  Among other control and prevention measures, both the WHO and the Federal Government discourage large gatherings during this emergency.

"In Nigeria, government at federal and state levels have agreed to extend the current school holidays while measures are taken to assess the Ebola threat and bring it under control. Section 45(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution gives government a responsibility to take reasonable measures to manage rights in the interest of public health. These measures have been taken under this power. They are both lawful and sensible.

"The NBA conference is usually a very large gathering. Its venues usually attract well in excess of 20,000 participants, traders and visitors. It's an excellent place for a virus in search of vectors."

On  August 15, the NBA issued a public statement claiming that it "is putting adequate anti-Ebola precautions for its members attending the 2014 annual general conference in Owerri. It failed to say what these precautions were or who said they were "adequate.
"As a result, participants are not in a position to asses independently what risks they run in attending the conference. The most "adequate precaution" the NBA can take at this time is to defer the conference. It should do so. If the NBA declines, I would urge government at all levels to strongly request it to do so.

"I am a scheduled speaker at the Owerri conference. I have also been a person under observation for Ebola because as an out-patient I was attended on July 21 by one of the doctors in Lagos who managed the index case, i.e., on the day after he was admitted. The NBA has no way of knowing this and has made no effort to elicit this kind of information from any of the participants.

"I have decided that I will not go to Owerri. As an act of responsible citizenship, I would also urge as many intending participants as possible to consider withdrawing from the Owerri conference. To address leadership continuity in the association, in the interim, the inauguration of the new leadership of the NBA can take place at a modest ceremony at the NBA secretariat in Abuja."

Police rescue kidnapped mother, baby in Asaba

ASABA — Suspected kidnappers, yesterday, abducted a mother, Mrs. Adeyemi and her baby at Asaba, but the police put up a brave performance by rescuing the victims.

The woman was driving in a Kia Sorento Sports Utility Van, SUV, along Standard Life Bible Church Road, off Direct Labour Agency, DLA Road, Asaba, when she was ambushed.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the kidnap and rescue of the victims, said the police quickly mobilised and found the baby and vehicle where they were abandoned.

She said the police, acting on a tip-off, stormed the hideout of the kidnappers in Issele-Uku and on sighting the police, the abductors took to their heels, while Mrs. Adeyemi was rescued unhurt.
DSP Kalu said detectives were on a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

Meantime, Policemen from the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, SAKS, Obiaruku in Delta State, have arrested a suspected 35-year-old kidnapper after a gun battle on Obiaruku-Utagba-Uno Road in the state.

Vanguard was informed that the kidnap gang broke into the residence of a lecturer at the Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, Mr. Emmanuel Okolie, at Ebayadata quarters, Obiaruku and took away his wife, Roseline, aged 52 years, to unknown destination.

They also robbed him of his laptop valued at N140,000, Samsung X5 Galaxy phone, valued at N90,000 and N260,000 cash.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, said: "Sequel to report, operatives quickly mobilised and went after the hoodlums along Obiaruku/Utagba-Uno road.

"The kidnappers, on sighting the operatives, engaged them in a gun battle. Consequently, one of the suspects identified as Collins was arrested, while the remaining two escaped with bullet wounds and the victim was rescued unhurt."

"The suspect has given the names of his accomplices who fled with their weapon. Meanwhile, investigation is in progress while efforts are on to track down the fleeing miscreants," she stated.