Dr. Ada Igonoh is the only surviving female doctor from First Consultants Medical Centre (FCMC) in Obalende, Lagos where Nigeria’...
Dr. Ada Igonoh is the only surviving female doctor from First Consultants Medical Centre (FCMC) in Obalende, Lagos where Nigeria’s index ebola
patient, the Liberian diplomat, Patrick Sawyer was being treated before he died.
She was one of the doctors that attended to him and was unfortunately infected
with the ebola virus but unlike others, she survived it.
She was recently delivered of a baby girl at the Greater
El-Monte community hospital,
California, USA on the 3rd of November.
She was placed under strict medical surveillance and her baby has been
certified Ebola-free. This has been described by as a miracle by the chief
medical director of the hospital, Dr. Benjamin Ohiaeri at a press conference
organised by the hospital yesterday.
Dr. Ohiaeri, speaking on the fact that medical experts have
predicted that Ebola survivors are less likely to be pregnant or deliver a
baby, said that Dr. Igonoh’s case is a miraculous feat that remain a mystery to
the medical profession globally. He further went on to state that Nigeria
deserves to celebrate this feat;
“We are today excited because this is the
first of the firsts. Last year, we were visited with the dreaded and deadly
disease. A year later and by the grace of God, we are saved from a national
calamity and now we have reason to celebrate the birth of a baby among our
survivors. The baby was made in First Consultants and delivered in California
by Nigerian-American doctors. When you get Ebola, it is difficult to carry and
difficult to deliver. Ada indeed made us proud”. He said.
“This is a celebration of life and it is a success story
that we believe will continue to resonate in our country. This has been made
possible by all of you people in the press also” Ohiaeri concluded.
Godwin Igonoh, the husband of Dr. Ada Igonoh was also present at the briefing at FCMC and he couldn’t contain his joy
and appreciation;
“Last year was a difficult one but we came through it and
this is another year and we have something to thank God for. I want to thank
everyone that stood by us, especially those Nigerians who never met us but
still took time out to pray for us. First Consultants played a very critical
role in ensuring that she stayed employed and supported her psychologically.
The press also helped with information and managing everything that happened”
The happy father said.
