The resident doctors went on a national strike after their earlier protest march through all tertiary hospitals failed to free their colleague from captors.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has initiated a seven-day warning strike in response to the abduction of their colleague, Ganiyat Popoola, who has been held captive for eight months.
The strike was announced by Dele Abdullahi, the President of NARD, during a virtual emergency meeting of the National Executive Council of the association at midnight on Monday.
During this period, there will be no concessions or emergency care available as the strike is in full effect.
It is essential for all centers, whether federal or state, to ensure complete compliance.
Additionally, it is crucial to properly hand over patients to consultants,” Mr. Abdullahi emphasized.
The importance of adhering to the strike directive cannot be overstated.
Any center that fails to comply will face severe fines and will be excluded from participating in the upcoming NARD annual general meeting.
Members of the association nationwide previously organized a protest march in all tertiary hospitals, calling for the release of Mrs. Popoola.
Mrs Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, was taken captive in December 2023 along with her husband and nephew.
Despite the release of her husband after a ransom was allegedly paid, Mrs. Popoola and her nephew are still being held captive. The kidnappers allegedly requested an N60 million ransom in order to release the doctor’s husband.
NARD’s directive for a nationwide protest On 14 August, NARD issued a deadline of 26 August for the release of the victim.
During a press briefing in Abuja, the association expressed their disappointment with the government’s lack of action regarding the abduction.
We have decided to organize a national press conference and a nationwide protest march in all tertiary hospitals to demand the release of Mrs. Popoola.
After the incident occurred, Mr. Abdullahi expressed his disappointment in the lack of response from various authorities, including security agencies, the federal government, and the Kaduna State Government.
He made sure to inform various stakeholders about the association’s decision, including the Nigerian Medical Association, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Kaduna State Government.
It’s deeply concerning that in a nation where we expect healthcare providers to remain safe, one of our own has been held captive for over seven months and 17 days without any sign of progress or guidance on the rescue operation, expressed Mr. Abdullahi.
Health workers are impacted by feelings of insecurity.
Nigeria has been dealing with armed conflicts, including terrorism and banditry, along with other pressing concerns.
In 2023, the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) documented 19 instances of violence targeting healthcare professionals in Nigeria.
Additionally, there were 43 incidents in 2022, a decrease from the 56 incidents in 2021.
These incidents resulted in the kidnapping of 37 health workers, the loss of seven lives, and the theft of health supplies from pharmacies and health centers.
