Cross River doctors have begun their strike on Sunday in solidarity with one of their colleagues who was kidnapped on Thursday from her home in Calabar, the state capital.
This was stated in a communique signed by Felix Archibong, chairperson of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Cross River section, during an EGM on Sunday in Calabar.
On Thursday, 13 July, Ekanem Ephraim, a medical practitioner at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), was kidnapped from her home by armed men posing as patients at 7.30 p.m.
Despite their efforts to free their colleague, Ms Ephraim remains imprisoned, according to the doctors. Following that, the organization decided to conduct the following:
“In solidarity with our member who is still in the hands of her kidnappers, we will begin a total and indefinite withdrawal of medical services effective immediately. This medical service removal will affect all hospitals in the state, federal, state, private, and Mission.
“The State government should use all available tools to ensure the timely and unconditional release of our member in the hands of her kidnappers.”
They noted that the NMA in Cross River was aware of the suffering its withdrawal of services would cause locals, but they urged the relevant security authorities to ensure the prompt return of their abducted member.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), this was not the first time the group would go on strike in response to the kidnapping of one of its members in Cross River.
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