Nigerians on different social media platforms are
begging President Barack Obama to give a vaccine,
ZMapp, being developed in the United States to treat
a Nigerian nurse, Justina Ejelonu, reportedly infected
with the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.

On such websites as Facebook and Twitter, the
petitioners begged Obama to release the vaccine to
Ejelonu and other Africans suffering from the virus.
The petitions were made on the White House website.
Ejelonu, who is one of those that were infected with
the Ebola virus after treating the Liberian victim,
Patrick Sawyer, has said she did not have direct
contact with Sawyer’s body fluids.

The deadly virus, which leads to death in humans
within days from infection, is transmitted through
sweat, urine, blood, and other fluids from the body.
Nurse Ejelonu recounted her encounter with the late
Patrick Sawyer…

According to her, she said she had checked his vitals
and helped him with food because he was too weak,
and that the mode of transmission could be from
touching the same surfaces as the Liberian.
She said, “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 that’s
the only contact — not directly with his fluids.
“At a stage, he yanked off his infusion and we had
blood everywhere on his bed. But the ward maids
took care of that and changed his linens with great
precaution. Every patient is treated as high-risk. If it
were air borne, by now wahala for dey (there would
have been trouble). I still thank God.”
Ejelonu added that the workers’ uniforms and
Sawyer’s bedding were burnt afterwards, saying the
staff were under surveillance and off-duty till August
11.

She said, “Our samples have long been taken by the
World Health Organisation and so far, we have been
fine. Kudos to my hospital management because we
work professionally with every patient considered as
high-risk — that’s the training.”
The health worker noted that if it were a public
hospital, the outcome might have been different,
adding that she was however grateful to the Lagos
State Government and the Federal Government for
their support.