Ebola: Saving Nurse Justina in the midst of distracting noise
Posted by John Okiyi Kalu | 10 years ago | 4,066 times
Ebola: Saving Nurse Justina in the midst of distracting noise
I have read many hypocrites make written noise about our request for America to make available the experimental drugs they are using in managing 2 American Ebola patients. While I deliberately decided to avoid entering into distracting arguments with people whose humanity does not include feeling for others, permit me to make a few comments.
Nobody is asking America to "dash" the experimental drugs to Nigerian Government. We fully expect Nigeria to pay for it, just like we have been paying for Viagra, Cigarettes, Blackberry phones, Arms/Ammunitions and other American products exported to Africa. Even at individual levels, if they name their price Nigerians will willingly buy the experimental drugs to save Justina and others in quarantine. We are not running from paying for research products and Nigeria continues to fulfil it's obligations to international agencies like WHO, UN etc from taxes paid by Justina and others.
For those on a voyage of mischief who seek to relate this request with our rejection of Made in America "homo" culture, it might just be enough for you to be reminded that our stand have not stopped America from shipping arms and ammunitions to us. Even their used vehicles are shipped to us and we pay. It is called international trade, not charity. Furthermore, it is not all Americans that agree with their government on homo legalization and homophilia. More than 40% of Americans disapprove homo.
The rescued American, DR KENT BRANTLY, is a practicing Christian and Missionary who has long attributed his survival to God's mercy and the experimental drugs. He is not a homo. Yet he received the drugs from same America. Are you now suggesting that America will only do business with those who love and accept what to us is an obtuse lifestyle? If that be the case, we will rather encourage our Government to get closer to Russia and China. Who knows, China might already have acquired a "photocopy" of the experimental drugs. Nigerians will gladly accept the Chinese copy if it will keep Justina and others alive.
Just for the records: we have noted that the evil Patrick Sawyer that brought this disaster upon us is an American citizen. Never mind he also holds Liberian citizenship. HE IS AMERICAN. It can therefore be said that America bears vicarious liability for sowing this evil seed in Nigeria and owe us a duty to sell, release or hand over the experimental drugs to the Nigerian authorities tomorrow morning. Time is ticking for Justina and others and we will not accept "one person in quarantine is dead" as an outcome in this matter. We already know of the existence of what can save them. Use that to save them.
For those people telling us that the drugs are "experimental" and hence shouldn't be given out, we ask this simple question: is it not same "experimental" substance that the American Ebola patients are receiving? If the rules in America permitted them to receive the life saving treatment, why shouldn't mostly medical personnel from Nigeria (whose only "sin" was trying to save America's Mr Sawyer's life), receive same experimental drugs? Is an American’s life more valuable than a Nigerian’s life? If an American can legally receive ‘experimental treatment’, let Nigerians receive same treatment. And if new legislation is needed, our National Assembly is on standby. No excuses please.
I consider it unconscionable noise making for people to tell us to blame our government for not "developing our healthcare infrastructure". My first instinct was to ask President Obama how long it took America to "develop health infrastructure" bearing in mind that prominent Americans like Al Capone died of "ordinary" Syphilis while many more were consumed in this century by "ordinary" Malaria that I survive daily. Even as at this day, American and Western "health infrastructure" still struggle to cope with tropical malaria. Best treatments are still sent from Nigeria to America. Ask Nigerians living in America, if in doubt. It is also interesting to note that just a few weeks ago we read of how misdiagnosis by "developed" American medical personnel cost us one of Nigerian's leading lights, Dr Dora Akunyili. If she had listened to Nigerian doctors she would have lived. Our “undeveloped medical infrastructure’ correctly diagnosed her developing growth as Cancer whereas second opinion from America misled her until it was too late. She died in India while seeking help.
Simply put, capacity to manage different healthcare challenges is as different as the challenges that affect different areas of the world. That your scientists have developed putative treatment for Ebola does not mean that others will not produce better ones with time. We probably didn't prepare for Ebola to be "shipped" to us by an American and hence focused on other areas of need.
For the avoidance of doubt, Ebola is not new and it previously attacked Africa in 1976. May be some of our own cynics and professional critics tainted with permanent opposition mindset should show this government the facilities put in place by successive regimes from 1976 to date, so they can use them and do the needful. Great leaders prepare for war at peace time and emergency systems are developed at non-emergency times. All our leaders since 1976 should have remembered to develop systems to cope with this Ebola and other infectious diseases. Infrastructure development does not happen overnight.
This government will surely be blamed if after this current incidence they fail to develop needed containment systems and facilities for management of infectious disease outbreaks. But for now, we are satisfied that they are doing their best, under pressure, to contain this outbreak. We are only asking that they do more to save lives, inform Nigerians and go about the development of local capacities for handling challenges. Definitely more research institutes will have to be established, equipped and funded to meet this and incoming challenges.
Amazingly, the hypocrites are not asking Spanish citizens to blame their government for failure to develop anti Ebola drugs. I read somewhere that the Spanish nun is being managed with same experimental drug (Zmapp) from America. Obviously Spain, Great Britain, China, Russia etc do not have same drugs even with their supposedly fully developed medical infrastructure. Will you also say their government is bad and healthcare infrastructure undeveloped? Is Spain now a beggar nation whose government and scientists are lazy?
May be purveyors of such unfortunate self denigrating views will do better asking that Nurse Justina and others be transported to US to receive life saving care. We will not complain. Their current ‘waiting to die or live’ status is unacceptable to all men with conscience. Those seeking to win arguments can continue until reality checks them.
Furthermore, I wish to challenge all those making distracting noise to come forward and provide an alternative course of action that will save the life of Justina and others in quarantine. Where all they can think of is "wait for their death to be announced", I wish them what they wish others. For me and majority of Nigerians, the best chance of those in quarantine lies with those experimental drugs and God's mercy. We already have God's mercy on their side and now need the drugs.
#GiveThemExperimentalDrugs.
Sign this petition now and clear your troubled conscience. Otherwise, SHUT UP while others sign. What goes round usually come round. Justina and others are not asking for your money. Just sign the petition with the same internet you use to spread porno and dupe gullible people. If you sign, check your email and confirm your signature before it will count. As you do so, my prayer for you and your family remains that affliction of this type will never befall you in Jesus name.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/release-experimental-drug-zmapp-africa/9bYrqL09
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received-only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
—Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
Catholic Saint, Founder Of Franciscans
JOK 10/8/14
#GiveThemExperimentalDrugs
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