President Jonathan dedicates Nigeria's ‘Ebola-free’ declaration to patriotic health workers

President Goodluck Jonathan has dedicated the declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that Nigeria is now officially Ebola-free to the many patriotic health workers, volunteers and ordinary Nigerians who worked tirelessly to contain the Ebola Virus Disease.

The WHO Ebola-free certification came on Monday, 42 days after the last case of the Ebola Virus Disease was reported.

Nigeria recorded six more deaths after the index Ebola patient, a Liberian-American man, Patrick Sawyer died on July 25.

Most of the dead were health workers, who President Jonathan said paid “the ultimate price, to stop the deadly virus in its track”.

A statement by the spokesman for the President, Dr Ruben Abati, said President Jonathan also reiterated his appreciation of the contributions of state governments, WHO and other international health organisations, relatives of infected persons and other Nigerians, who either courageously underwent the rigours of being quarantined or complied with all directives issued by health authorities to defeat the virus.

“Nigeria’s globally-acclaimed success against Ebola is a testimony to what Nigerians can achieve if they set aside their differences and work together,” President Jonathan said.

He called on Nigerians to strive to replicate the unity of purpose and the “all-hands-on-deck approach” adopted against Ebola in other areas of national life.