Our Health Sector- Nigerians Who Have Done Us Proud

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The importance of health cannot ever be overstretched. It is undoubtedly the fulcrum of every nation because as the saying goes, “a healthy nation is a wealthy nation”. But unfortunately, the health sector of this nation is lavishly treated as a fifth wheel. No month passes by without healthcare providers engaging in industrial actions (go on strike as we often say) just to draw government’s attention to the colossal mess in some of our hospitals. Is this meant to be so?

I was listening to my favourite program “Health Matters” over the radio last weekend when a midwife phoned in to complain of what she considered a big rot in one of the state hospitals in the country (name of hospital withheld). Of all the complaints she brought to the fore the one that gave me the creep was that of a surgeon carrying out a surgery with NokiaTorchlight because, according to her, there was power outage that lasted for hours. This is scary. It is in fact as scary as sleeping with a timed bomb under the bed.

Our political office holders should as a matter of urgency quit guzzling tax payers’ money and do what is expected of them, especially in our health sector.

Enough said, there are Nigerians who have acknowledged the fact that we need dire help in our health sector and have waded in to render a helping hand.

Today, PublicWellness brings you a list of some of them and it’s our way of saying, thank you, and we encourage more people to cue in.

In no particular order, take it away!

Kanu Nwankwo

 

Photo credit: connectnigeria.com

Popularly called Papilo, Kanu Nwankwo is an ex-football star that has done us proud, locally and internationally. He is as a matter of fact, a gift to us. 
 Following his successful surgery of a heart defect that almost stunted his football career, this two-times African footballer of the year founded The Kanu Heart Foundation (KHF) in 2000 to help Nigerian, nay African children diagnosed with heart diseases get the necessary medical attention. 

Since inception, this foundation has lighted the hearts of many indigent families.God bless you, Papilo  

Dr Ameyo Adadevoh (late)

What this great woman did for Nigeria can never, in a million years, be forgotten. But for her courage and uncommon intelligence, we would still be under the strong grip of the much feared epidemic- Ebola virus or recorded greater human and economic loses. 

This Consultant Endocrinologist extraordinaire brought her expertise into full play at a point when we knew very little about the virus in Nigeria. She personally quarantined Patient Zero and quickly alerted all the relevant authorities when her suspicion was confirmed. This singular expression of great concern for human lives was our saving grace. 

Dr. Adadevoh tested positive to the Ebola virus strain on the 4^th as reported in the news, and on the 19^th of august 2014, she took wings and flew away with the saints. She sacrificed her life for Nigeria. 

We love you with every inch of our hearts, Adadevoh. 

May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

 Stephanie Okereke-Linus

This immensely beautiful Nollywood/Hollywood actress has distinguished herself in the country and far beyond for which she was honoured in 2011 with a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.

Seeing that Vesico VaginalFistula (VVF) has placed many young women in Nigeria in a position for which there was no escape, she founded the Extended Hands Foundation. 

This foundation has wiped away the tears of these women and given them a fresh start in life.For this year alone, Extended Hand Foundation has taken care of the surgical repair of over 40 women with VVF as well as looked after them until they were fully recuperated. 

We appreciate your kindness, Stephanie.  

Alhaji Aliko Dangote

This 57-year-old chairman of Dangote Group has been on the forefront of donating magnanimously towards fighting the various health woes that plague us in Nigeria, nay Africa. His recent kindheartedness was the donation of N 150 million, through Dangote Group, for the fight against the much dreaded Ebola virus in Nigeria. If you are marveled by this generosity of spirit, that is not all. 

This philanthropist par excellence, dubbed the richest black man in the world by Forbes, is also the founding patron of the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria- an organisation that concerns itself with building a healthy Nigeria- where he had contributed selflessly, too. 

Nigerians say thank you, Alhaji Dangote.  

Prof Dora Akunyili (late) 

This list will not be complete without the mention of this great woman. Some of her contributions were cited in this article The Fight Against Fake Drugs in Nigeria- Dora Lives On. Her ground breaking records as the Director-General of NAFDAC cannot be matched. We would not have fought fake drugs to a standstill were not for her bravery and resilience. 

Years after she left the agency, the path she walked on were still charged with some supernatural energy like the aura of an elemental spirit would linger after it has visited. 

God bless your soul, our Amazon.  

Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma

Many of us know this colossus for different things but PublicWellness sees him as a man with the interest of Nigeria at heart.

This Taraba-State born former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defence during Obasanjo’s administration founded the Ty Danjuma Foundation in December 2008.

Under his guidance, this foundation has brought hope and freshness to many indigent Nigerians. It has provided free quality medical services to the poor, the recent being the training of 40 persons living with disabilities in Kaduna on different life changing programs. 

Nigerians say, thank you.

Finally, we know that there are many other Nigerians, not mentioned here, who have helped or are still helping in many ways to save our health sector from the impending danger before it. Nigerians appreciate you all. And to the volunteers who risked their lives when Ebola raged in the country, you are a million times appreciated.

PublicWellness chose not to mention the name of any politician because when a political office holder builds or reforms hospitals, it is what he is elected to do but we cannot fail to appreciate the governor of Delta State- His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan for the help he rendered one of our own- Okeoghene Ighiwoto John in 2012 Click To Watch The Video Here and the governor of Lagos State- His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola for sponsoring many Nigerians abroad for medical treatment.

Happy new month to everyone. I wish you all a beautiful finish to 2014.