https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/168746-ebola-nigerians-suffer-stigmatisation-abroad.html


Abigail Afolabi, 25, returned to Nigeria
after concluding her first degree at the
Harbin Medical University, China. She
returned home to celebrate her
graduation as a medical doctor. Her
family in Kaduna State was throwing a
party to celebrate her successful feat, and
she decided to spend two weeks in
Nigeria.
While the celebration was on, she received
an e-mail from her school informing her
of a scholarship offer to proceed for her
master’s degree.
She accepted the offer.
The school then advised her to return to
China as soon as possible.
Although Abigail never fell ill nor had
contact with any of the hundreds of
persons screened and in relevant cased
treated for Ebola in Nigeria, she was made
to suffer what she called ‘humiliation’ by
Chinese authorities.
Although Abigail had been screened at the
Nigerian airport for Ebola before her
departure, on arrival at the Beijing airport
in China, a list of passengers coming from
countries affected by the Ebola outbreak
was called.
More than 3000 persons have died from
the virus in West Africa, mainly from
Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra-Leone. Dozens
of Nigerians were later infected with the
virus when Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-
American, brought the virus to the
country. Mr. Sawyer and six other
Nigerians have died from the Ebola in
Nigeria.
At the Beijing airport, Abigael’s ‘special’
group were told alight from the aircraft
before other passengers and were taken
for medical examination.
“When I arrived in China, the list of
passengers coming from countries affected
by Ebola was called by the medical officers
in Beijing, China,” she said. “We were
asked to come out of the plane before
other passengers. We were taken to a
room for examination. Body temperature
was checked and few questions were
asked, for example, do you have
headache? Are you vomiting?”
But that was not to be all. From there, she
was isolated in a room where she was
made to stay for 21 days – the incubation
period of the virus.
Ms. Afolabi was released on September 12
and has commenced her Masters
programme. Her case is, however, just
one of the many forms Nigerians suffer
discrimination as a result of Ebola.
Nigeria’s contingent to Keeping Children
Safe in Africa Conference, which held in
Cape Town from September 3 to 5, were
denied visa by the South African embassy
due to Ebola.
One of the key participants from Nigeria,
Oge Chukwudozie of Save the Children
Nigeria, who was to present a paper was
among those denied entry. Someone else,
a non-Nigerian, had to present her paper
for her.
When contacted on the efforts by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure
there is a stop to the discrimination
Nigerians suffer, its spokesperson, Ogbole
Amedu-Ode, said he was on leave and
could not make any comment.
Some government officials have, however,
expressed concern with the apparent
stigmatisation Nigerians go through due
to the Ebola virus.
One of such is Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the
chairman of the House of Representatives
Committee on Diaspora Affairs.
Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa on September 6 noted
that the stigmatization must be addressed
before it gets worse, and as a lawmaker
she would work with relevant government
agencies to do the needful. She explained
that in many instances, there were hardly
any medical checks to ascertain the health
conditions of such Nigerians.
The lawmaker cited another example of
Adeseye Adeyemi, a Nigerian who decided
to wed his Sri Lankan heartthrob in Sri
Lanka; and wanted his Nigerian-based
family to attend the reception.
Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa said the Adeyemi’s
“were terribly treated by Sri Lankan
authorities.”
She said all family members were
quarantined in the Sri-Lankan airport
lobby for about 18 hours with no access to
food, water, or toilet facilities. The family
was subsequently deported with no
medical check after the prolonged wait.

It shall be well

With time it will be over.

It's quite sad that she was quarantined for 21 days but I guess the Chinese government can't be blamed much since they have to protect their citizens. I'm glad all is well back in Nigeria for now and I pray it continues so, hopefully this nightmare will be over soon.

It will get better with time, no cause for alarm.