I never contacted his fluids. I checked his vitals, helped him with his food (he was too weak)…..I basically touched where his hands touched and dats d only contact. not directly with his fluids. @ a stage, he yanked off his infusion and we had blood everywhere on his bed…..but d ward maids took care of that and changed his linens with great precaution. Every patient is treated as high risk ….if it were airborne, by now wahala for dey. i still thank God. Friends, up to our uniforms and all linens were burnt off. We are on surveillance and off work till 11th. Our samples v long bn taken by WHO n so far we v been fine. Ms. Ejelonu’s last Facebook post
How Many Of us Remembered That Yesterday Was Another Year Gone by since we lost Nurse Justina Ejelonu. Nurse Justina Ejelonu attended to Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American Ebola carrier who brought the disease to Nigeria, she passed away in a quarantine facility in Lagos after contacting the dreaded disease from him.
Ms. Ejelonu, 25, was one of the primary contacts with Patrick Sawyer at a Lagos Hospital where he received treatment after he was rushed from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos where he collapsed.
John Okiyi Kalu 17th August 2014 wrote on her death a pain filled article titled: Nigeria Failed Nurse Justina Obioma Ejelonu….and the World Didnt Care Either. Here are excepts from the write up:
Most of us didn’t meet Justina in real life (and now will never) but we belong to same online group, Igboville/Oganiru Ndigbo Foundation. While the group was preparing for a free medical service program at Aba in December 2013, Obioma (Justina) volunteered to be among the nurses that will attend to the patients, free of charge. She was really excited about offering her services free, to save lives. It was in the build up and preparation for the event, successfully held at Aba on 27th December 2013, that we got to interact more closely, online. She was always available at the medical service committee thread to make suggestions and liven up the thread with jokes and banters. Naturally, all the members of the team knew this lively nurse working then at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
Early this year, she moved to Lagos to resume at First Consultant Hospital Obalende. Her excitement was palpable even as she contacted one of our chapter executives to help get her accommodation in Lagos as well as introduce her to some Lagos based Igboville members. As expected, he did his best for her in fulfillment of our slogan “onye aghana nwanne ya” (don’t leave your brother/sister behind). She relocated to Lagos and resumed at her new station.Her later posts at the group and her facebook wall confirmed she was enjoying her new experience at the high brow Lagos hospital. Until the 25th of July when she made this post at Igboville wall:
“Friends,
thank God for me o. i had a close contact with the first Ebola case in Nigeria..:.Long story cut short, God saved me dearly. join me in thanking God.
(Jul 25th 2014)
In an article posted on August 14th 2016, Nurse OMOLOLA ADAMS OLATAYO wrote the following about our lost colleague:
Nurse JUSTINA showed to the world that nursing profession is an humanitarian profession, an accolade of human dignity, a susceptible to danger profession, selflessness, caring, empathize, loving and nursing to peaceful death.
It’s already two years down the memory lane when nurse JUSTINA EJELONU laid down her life for this country in the course of discharging her professional responsibilities as a nurse and safeguard Nigeria from been engulfed by Ebola Virus. The Government has not deem it fit to immortalised this selfless NURSE, this is sending a bad signal to the younger ones in the society. Even in United State of America, the sitting president visited nurses that contracted the disease. That Government has concerned for its citizen and many are willing to do the same in thier respective endeavours. When will Nigeria government accord due recognitions to its faithful, selfless and dedicated citizens?
NURSE JUSTINA EJELONU, you shall remain in our hearts forever, even if the government see nothing good in laying down your life, The Nigeria Nurses see extraordinary manifest of your nursing care. You shall be celebrated in the nursing world.
Medical News