UYO
The association of resident doctors, ARD, the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH last Saturday joined doctors in other parts of the country to stage a peaceful protest to demand for the immediate release of one of their colleagues, Dr Ganiyat Popoola, a mother of five who was kidnapped in Kaduna state since 2023.
Consequently, the have given the federal government and security agencies a two week ultimatum else they will down tools even though they wish it will not get to that level.
The peaceful protest tagged,’ Freedom March’ had the doctors marched through the different wards of the hospital with placards, chanting solidarity songs before terminating at the entrance of the medical facility where the leaders addressed journalists and other stakeholders in the health sector.
The victim, Dr Popoola , a staff of the national Eye Hospital , Kaduna was kidnapped on the 27th of December, 2023 alongside her husband and niece but he was released after some ransom were allegedly paid leaving her and the niece .
Addressing journalists at the venue of the protest, the state chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Associate Professor, Aniekan Peters bemoaned the plight of the victim and that of other health workers in the country saying that doctors were an endangered species hence the need for the federal government to hasten up to get her released so that she can reunite with her family who has not seen her for more than seven months now.
“Security is the basic responsibility of the government to its citizens, that is why it is a constitutional right . We want the federal government to expedite action to get Dr Ganiyat Popoola released
It is not a crime to stay back in the country to practice when there are so many opportunities outside the country .” Professor Peters said.
He begged the federal government to protect medical workers stressing that attitudes like what is happening to Dr Popoola was one of the contributing factors to why doctors are leaving the state in droves hence the need for the federal government not to allow miscreants make then regret their acts of patriotism .
Earlier , the president of the association, UUTH chapter, Dr Aniekpeno Eyo has disclosed that they were not comfortable with efforts so far with the response of the government insisting that after seven months the government should not have any excuse but to get their colleague released from the kidnappers den .
“ We have waited for too long
“ We are not sure the government is doing enough to get her released “
The peaceful protest he pointed out was just a first step in the series of activities to draw government attention to the plight of Dr Popoola adding that the protest would have taken have before the just concluded national protest but they did not want to overheat the system .
He however maintained that they are now left with no choice as the only language the government understands is protest and strike insisting that they pray it will not get to that as they are all aware of the implication of such step which can only be a last resort.
Also speaking, a resident doctor, Dr Enobong Nkanga lamented the plight of the victim and the mental torture she is passing through in the hands of her captors.
“ It is frightening. We don’t know what she is passing through. The mental torture and the psychological pains . Our prayers is that she is released soonest so that she can return to her family, patients and friends.
On his part, the state secretary of the association, Dr Enobong Essien and the chairman of the local organising committee of the Freedom March , Dr Promise Jacob advocate for stiffer penalties for kidnapping and a better protection for health workers to avoid the imminent mass immigration away from the country.
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