By Archibong Jeremiah
The Cross River State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has again, embarked on a “total and indefinite” strike following the kidnap of its member, Dr. Vivien Otu on Friday.
The NMA in a communique issued at the end of an emergency meeting on Saturday, said this was in line with resolutions from its Emergency General Meeting of January 8, 2018 where it was agreed that medical practitioners will henceforth withdraw their services without notice, anytime a member of the NMA is kidnapped.
Over a dozen medical practitioners have been kidnapped in three years as the security crisis worsen.
And, the NMA which said the security situation is fast becoming “irredeemable,” also posited that it has caused great “fear and trepidation.”
The association said the kidnap of Dr. Vivien, a senior registrar in the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, has brought “gargantuan psychological trauma and emotional destabilization to her family and members of NMA-CRS.”
And, the association said the indefinite withdrawal of services will affect both public and private facilities as well as those in the COVID-19 Isolation centers.
The NMA also called on the Governor, Benedict Ayade to assent immediately, to the anti-kidnapping bill before him and urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Cross River.
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