Dr Innocent Abang, Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Cross River chapter, announced that an indefinite strike has begun, pending the unconditional release of Godwin Udo, who was kidnapped.
He also called on the state governor, Ben Ayade to review the ongoing curfew imposed on the state.
“Our strike is indefinite, it is not morally right for someone to be trying to save other lives when he is not safe.
“However, we are not unaware of the pains of the patients, so, we will continue to attend to those already in the wards but we are not taking new patients.
“The strike will continue until our colleague returns, we need everybody to rise up and kick against kidnapping in the state and so that it will not continue,” Abang said.
Abang said going by the circumstance of how his colleague was kidnapped, it was unfair for him to describe the curfew in the state as effective.
“The way I see the security operatives stop people, including doctors who even have a pass, from afar and embarrass them, I don’t think somebody can simply drive past them, not to talk of driving with a kidnapped victim, so, I think they should review this curfew.
“We don’t know why the kidnappers decided to make doctors in the state their target, but just that a colleague of ours who was kidnapped earlier said the kidnappers told him that they know doctors will always fetch them some money when in reality doctors are struggling.
NAN
