NMA decries insecurity, kidnap of doctors

By Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has condemned the attacks on its members.

At a briefing in Abuja, the NMA President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, who expressed dismay over the rising spate of insecurity, urged the federal and state governments to stem the  tide.

“The National Executive Council (NEC) expressed dismay with the worsening state of security in the country and the continued incarceration of two medical doctors – Dr. Audu Sule and Dr. Sunday Oduniyi – in Taraba State by kidnappers.

‘’We also condemned in strong terms the gruesome murder of Dr. Jerome Boluwaji Elutayo Elusiyan, a professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife and the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife on his way back to Ile-Ife from Ekpoma as an external examiner for medical students examination at Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State.

“The NEC further expresses its disappointment with the failure of both federal and state governments to effectively check security lapses and the ravaging incidence of banditry, armed robbery, kidnappings and endless killings of innocent Nigerians. It is unfortunate that a lot of people have the feeling that doctors are very rich.

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Doctors are like other Nigerians and all we do is make sure we save lives; doctors are not rich. Some of the miscreants believe that they will get a lot of money, if we are being targeted.

“Unfortunately, also, our job opens us up to such attacks because we have to work round the clock, especially in the dead of the night. That is why we are calling on the government to ensure that security improves. We are telling the government that we have almost exhausted all our patience and doctors are on the verge of taking action that may not be the best for Nigerians, if we are not adequately secured in discharging our duties. We also commiserate with other Nigerians who are also victims of these dastardly acts,” he said.

Faduyile further said the NEC of the NMA is convinced that Nigeria needs to improve more on increasing competences in specialised areas of medicine like the treatment of cancer, renal transplant, open heart surgery, liver transplant, congenital anomaly, hand surgery, etc.

He noted that there was the need for more neurosurgeons.