Nursing staff who died in pandemic to be commemorated in multi-faith service

Online remembrance event honours Nigerian health and care staff who died with COVID-19, and is organised by the Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK

An online remembrance service will honour Nigerian nursing and midwifery staff who died with COVID-19.

Among those to be commemorated will be a a nurse of more than 40 years’ experience and a newly qualified nurse who did not live to find out he had passed his exams.

The multi-faith service, organised by the Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK, will be at 7pm on 2 July via Zoom.

Association president Wendy Olayiwola said nursing professionals of all nationalities and faiths are welcome to attend and remember those the profession has lost.

‘We are all in this together and we need to come through it together,’ she said.

Nursing staff to be remembered

One of those to be remembered at the event is Oronsaye Okhomina. Mr Okhomina died on 11 February 2020, tragically unaware he had passed his exams to become a mental health nurse.

• RELATED: Newly-qualified nurse dies with COVID-19 before starting new role

Another nurse to be honoured is Eyitolami Olaolorun, who worked as a nurse for 40 years, most recently with young people who were critically ill. She died on 16 April 2020. Her children have set up a foundation in her name to continue her work helping young people in Nigeria access higher education.

• RELATED: Daughter of nurse who died in pandemic pours scorn on easing of lockdown rules

One of the healthcare assistants who will be remembered is Esther Akinsanya, who died on 15 April 2020. Her son Samuel described Ms Akinsanya as a woman who ‘would make sacrifices to ensure you were whole’.

Many more Nigerian nursing and midwifery professionals will be remembered at the event, including district nurse Linda Obiageli Udeagbala, healthcare assistant Juliet Alder, nurse Julie Edward, mental health nurse Francis Olabode Ajanlekoko, bank nurse Andrew Ekene Nwankwo, agency nurse Onyenachi Obasi, intensive care nurse Adekunle Enitan, and nurse Cecilia Fashanu.

• RELATED: COVID-19: remembering UK nursing staff who have lost their lives

At least 256 nurses and health care assistants died of COVID-19 in England, according to the Office for National Statistics. A total of 51 health and social care staff are known to have died in Scotland as well as at least one nurse in Northern Ireland.

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