Doctors in Ebonyi withdraw services over kidnap of colleague

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ebonyi Chapter, on Monday said its members have withdrawn their services in all government and private hospitals in the state.
The state NMA Chairman, Dr Chidi Esike, said at a press conference in Abakaliki that the withdrawal was due to the kidnap of a consultant paediatrician, Dr Pius Maiyike.
Esike, who works with the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, was kidnapped on Sunday in Abakaliki.
He said that the doctors could not continue to operate under an unsafe and insecure environment.
“We shall, however, resume our services immediately our colleague is released by the kidnappers.
“The kidnappers should know that doctors do humanitarian work and are not wealthy.
“During this period, there will be no skeletal services by the doctors. It is a pity that doctors now work under siege,” he said.
The doctors just resumed work after a strike to protest an alleged assault on their colleague by a retired permanent secretary.

In February, an Assistant Superintendent of Police was alleged to have manhandled a doctor on duty and inflicted injuries on him.
Esike wondered why doctors should be made to face such criminality in the discharge of their duties.
He, however, appealed to the Governor, Chief Martin Elechi, the police, State Security Service and other security operatives to secure the release of Maiyike from the kidnappers.