'EWEDU': CAN PREVENT EBOLA?.....

Ewedu (long fruited vegetable)

Professor Adebukola Ositelu, consultant at the Lagos University Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba has said that Ewedu (known in English as a Long-Fruited vegetable), has the capability of preventing and maybe curing the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) by boosting the immune system.

Prof. Ositelu who disclosed this at the annual African Traditional Medicine Day organised by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday, September 4 at Ikeja, Lagos, said the vegetable had a high potency to boost the immune system such that it’s usage would prevent an individual from being infected with Ebola.

Ositelu, who is a professor of ‎Ophthalmology at the University of Lagos, Akoka (UNILAG), added that the vegetable could also get rid of the virus in the case of an infected person, Daily Sun reports.

On how to administer the treatment, she said the Ewedu should be rinsed thoroughly with liquid vinegar. Then it should be blended and cooked with drinkable water, without adding salt or potash (locally called akaun) or any other ingredients.

The prof said: “For prevention, take a 25cl or half a tumbler measure once a week, first thing in the morning before any meal,” while those already infected should take it every morning for seven to five days.”

She however noted that chances of being cured by an intake of Ewedu when a victim has gotten to the stage of vomiting was low, but could still be administered.

After the first case of Ebola was reported in Nigeria, reports went viral that bitter kola could cure the deadly virus, the Minister for Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu however debunked the report, saying there was no scientific evidence of Garcinia kola curing the virus.

After that came the “hot-water-and-salt” Ebola cure rumour which also went viral and some Nigerians, trying to avoid being infected with the Ebola virus ,decided to adopt the rumour. As a result of this, six persons were hospitalized in Makurdi, Benue, after they bathed with and drank salt water to avert the dreaded disease. Some lost their lives due to too much intake of salt.