The Enugu State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has threatened to embark on an industrial action if the government and relevant security agencies fail to secure the release of 10 doctors who have been kidnapped and take adequate actions to protect the Medical and Dental Council workers in the state.
The doctors were reportedly abducted from their work places in the past two months. The body also stressed that their lives are no longer guaranteed in the state due to this development.
Recall that on November 4, Dr Orockarrah Orock was kidnapped inside the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku/Ozalla where he was on call.
At an emergency meeting in the state on Wednesday, the state chairman of NMA, Dr Celestine Ugwoke and General Secretary, Rtn Dr Sunday Okafor said in a comunique that :”The EGM strongly resolved to call on the Enugu State Government to as a matter of urgency ensure that all our public hospitals are well and heavily guarded by armed security personnel and equally ensure the beefing up of the presence and operations of armed security patrol teams across the State.
“Unanimously resolved to request the State Government to as a matter of utmost priority rejig and revamp the current security architecture of the State through adequate funding for security, installations of modern technologies and security gadgets among other innovative security measures that would speedily help bring this ugly situation to a halt.
“The EGM further resolved to mandate the management of the various health institutions in the State to either ensure that Medical/Dental consultants on hospital calls are provided with decent call rooms, meals etc or in the alternative provide a to and fro Ambulance escort for them to be able to perform their duties.
“The EGM also resolved to unequivocally charge all health institutions in the State to as a matter of urgency set up a Security Committee meeting, adopt and adapt the UNTH template currently being implemented while also factoring in their peculiarities as the case may be.
“The EGM finally resolved to notify the State Government and all other relevant quarters of authority in the State that the Association will closely monitor the trend and implementation of these resolutions including the earlier advanced protest letters and may not be able to guarantee industrial harmony in the entire Health sector of the State if reasonable progress is not made in good time”, they stated.