Doctors embark on indefinite strike in C’ River over colleague’s abduction

Doctors in Cross River on Sunday embarked on a total and indefinite strike in solidarity with one of their members abducted on Thursday from her residence in Calabar, the state capital.

This was contained in a communique signed by Felix Archibong, chairperson of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Cross River branch, after an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on Sunday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that on Thursday, 13 July, Ekanem Ephraim, a medical practitioner with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), was kidnapped from her residence by armed men who pretended to be patients at about 7.30 p.m.

The doctors noted that despite all their efforts to ensure the release of their colleague, Ms Ephraim has remained in captivity.

The association after that resolved to do the following:

“To embark on a total and indefinite withdrawal of medical services effective immediately in solidarity with our member still in the hands of her abductors.

“This withdrawal of medical service will involve all hospitals in the state, federal, state, private and Mission.

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“The State government should activate all necessary instruments at its disposal to ensure the timely and unconditional release of our member in the hands of her abductors.”

They added that NMA in Cross River was not oblivious to the hardship its withdrawal of services would have on the citizens but appealed to the relevant security agencies to ensure a timely release of its abducted member.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was not the first time the association would embark on a strike on account of the abduction of its member in Cross River.

(NAN)