Ameyo Adadevoh

Ameyo Adadevoh
Born Ameyo Stella Shade Adadevoh
(1956-10-27)27 October 1956
Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
Died 19 August 2014(2014-08-19) (aged 57)
Lagos, Nigeria
Nationality Nigerian
Alma mater University of Lagos (MBBS)
University of London (Endocrinology)
Spouse(s) Afolabi Emmanuel Cardoso
Children Bankole Cardoso
Scientific career
Institutions First Consultant Medical Centre

Ameyo Adadevoh (born Ameyo Stella Shade Adadevoh; 27 October 1956 – 19 August 2014) was a Nigerian physician.

She is credited with having curbed a wider spread of the Ebola virus in Nigeria by placing the patient zero, Patrick Sawyer, in quarantine despite pressures from the Liberian government.[1][2][3] She is known for preventing the Nigerian index case from leaving the hospital at the time of diagnosis, thereby playing a key role in curbing the spread of the virus in Nigeria.[4] On 4 August 2014, it was confirmed that she had tested positive for Ebola virus disease and was being treated.[5] Adadevoh died in the afternoon of 19 August 2014.[6][1] Adadevoh was survived by her husband Afolabi and son Bankole among other relatives.

Early life and family

Ameyo Adadevoh was born in Lagos, Nigeria in October 1956. She spent the majority of her life in Lagos, Nigeria. Her father and great-grandfather, Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh and Herbert Samuel Macaulay, were both distinguished scientists. Herbert Macaulay,[7] is one of the founders of modern Nigeria. Her grandfather was from the Adadevoh family of the Volta Region of Ghana, to which she was very much connected, though she lived in Lagos. Her father Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh was a physician and former Vice chancellor of the University of Lagos.[8][1] She was also the grand niece of Nigeria's first president Nnamdi Azikiwe.[9] Adadevoh worked at First Consultant Hospital where a statue of her great-grandfather exists.[10]

Education

She went to preschool at the Mainland Preparatory Primary School in Yaba, Lagos (1961-1962). Ameyo Adadevoh spent two years in Boston, Massachusetts before moving back with her family to Lagos. She attended primary school at the Corona School, Yaba in Lagos, Nigeria (1964-1968). She attended Queen's School, Ibadan, finishing in 1974, Nigeria for her secondary school education.[11]

Medical education and career

Dr. Adadevoh graduated from the University of Lagos College of Medicine with a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery. She served her one-year mandatory housemanship at Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 1981. She spent her residency at Lagos University Teaching Hospital West African College of Physicians and Surgeons credential in 1983. She then went to London to complete her fellowship in endocrinology at Hammersmith Hospital. She spent 21 years at the First Consultants Medical Center in Lagos, Nigeria. There, she served as the Lead Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist.[12]

Work with swine flu

Dr. Adadevoh was the first to alert the Nigerian Ministry of Health when H1N1 spread to Nigeria in 2012.[12]

Work with Ebola virus

Dr. Adadevoh correctly diagnosed Liberian Patrick Sawyer as Nigeria’s first case of Ebola at First Consultant Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria in July 2014. Dr. Adadevoh kept Patrick Sawyer at hospital despite his insistence that he had a bad case of Malaria. Sawyer wanted to attend a business conference in Calabar, Nigeria.[13] Adadevoh led the team who oversaw the treatment of Patrick Sawyer a Liberian, the first patient diagnosed with Ebola in Nigeria.[14] Dr. Adadevoh also kept Patrick Sawyer at the hospital despite receiving a request from a Liberian ambassador to release him from the hospital.[10] Dr. Adadevoh tried to create an isolation area, despite the lack of protective equipment, by creating a wooden barricade outside Patrick Sawyer's door. A very brave woman she was. Her heroic effort saved the nation from the horrific experience because as at that time, Nigerian Doctors were on strike, and that could have caused severe crises.[15] The professionalism and thorough medical examination carried out by Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh was impeccable Adadevoh also provided staff with relevant information about the virus, procured protective gear and quickly contacted relevant officials.As a result of her report, the Nigerian government declared a national public health emergency and the Nigerian Ministry of Health set up an Ebola Emergency Operations Center.[16] WHO declared Nigeria to be Ebola free on October 20, 2014.[17]

Marriage and Children

Ameyo Adadevoh married Afolabi Emmanuel Cardoso on April 26, 1986. She gave birth to her one and only son Bankole Cardoso.[10]

Death and legacy

The Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh Health Trust (DRASA), a non-profit health organization was created in her honor. The film "93 Days" is dedicated to Ameyo and tells the story of the treatment of Patrick Sawyer by Adadevoh and other medical staff at First Consultant Medical Center.[18]

Honors and awards

AwardsYearGiven By
Posthumous Rotary Award3rd Oct. 2014Rotary Club of Abuja-Metro
National and Community Service Award5 October 2014Trinity House Church
Honorary Doctorate Degree: Doctor of Letters, Honouris Causa11 October 2014Baze University
Nollywood Humanity Award18 October 2014Nollywood Movies Awards
Arise Award25 October 2014Redeemed Christian Church of God
Posthumous Award3 November 2014Women in Management, Business Organizations and Public Service (WIMBIZ)
Exemplary Leadership Award12 November 2014Pathcare Laboratories
Distinguished Service Award15 November 2014Guild of Medical Directors FCT Abuja
Commemorative Plaque19 November 2014Nigerian American Medical Foundation
Nigeria’s Hero of the Year Award30 November 2014The Sun Awards
2014 SEC Integrity Award1 December 2014Security and Exchange Commission
Number 1 Humanitarian Everyone Should Know About (2014)11 December 2014International Medical Corps UK
Woman Who Shaped 201422 December 2014The Guardian
Number 1 Global Thinker of 201423 December 2014Lo Spazio della Politica
Leading Woman of 201423 December 2014CNN
Person of The Year 201431 December 2014Ekekeee
Nigerian of the Year Award4 January 2015National Infinity Magazine
Honorary Doctorate Degree: Doctor of Science, Honouris Causa17 January 2015National Open University of Nigeria
First Woman11 March 2015First Bank of Nigeria

[19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tolu Ogunlesi (20 October 2014). "Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh: Ebola victim and everyday hero". The Guardian. United Kingdom. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "Tributes to Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh". ThisDaylive. 26 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh: A True Patriot". The Street Journal. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Lagos records second Ebola case in doctor who treated victim: Nigerian health minister". Reuters. 4 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Afolabi Sotunde (4 August 2014). "Lagos sees second Ebola case, doctor who treated victim: health minister". Reuters. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Kolapo Olapoju. "Dr Ameyo Adadevoh succumbs to Ebola Virus Disease". Ynaija.com. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  7. ↑ Chidi Chima (20 August 2014). "TRIBUTE: Herbert Macaulay's great granddaughter who died in service to Nigeria". The Cable. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "The Ameyo Adadevoh I knew By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu". Sahara Reporters. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Emmanuel Obe (22 August 2014). "Azikiwe calls for immortalisation of Adadevoh". The Punch. Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 Ross, Will (2014-10-20). "Ebola crisis: How Nigeria's Dr Adadevoh fought the virus". BBC News. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  11. ↑ "Life and times of late Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. 2014-09-12. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  12. 1 2 "Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh (DRASA) Health Trust: Biography". Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh (DRASA) Health Trust. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  13. ↑ "Ameyo Adadevoh's NGO, DRASA, gives back to society". Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  14. ↑ CNN, Yemisi Adegoke, for. "The woman who saved her country from Ebola". CNN. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  15. ↑ "Ameyo Adadevoh: There was a Doctor". Ameyo Adadevoh: There was a Doctor. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  16. ↑ "Nigeria Is Ebola-Free: Here's What They Did Right". Time. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  17. ↑ "WHO | WHO declares end of Ebola outbreak in Nigeria". www.who.int. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  18. ↑ CNN, Yemisi Adegoke, for. "The woman who saved her country from Ebola". CNN. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  19. ↑ "Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh Health Trust". Retrieved 21 April 2015.
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