The Federal Government has appealed to members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to suspend their ongoing seven-day warning strike.
This plea comes as efforts are intensified to secure the release of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a Kaduna-based doctor who has been in captivity for nearly nine months.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa during a visit to the National Eye Centre in Kaduna , stressed that the government is actively negotiating to ensure Dr. Popoola’s safe return “We are on top of the matter and have been in close contact with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police to secure her release.”
“For the past two days, we know she is alive, and that’s good news for us. The security agencies are working hard to bring her back alive.” He assured the public about Dr. Popoola’s well-being.
Efforts amid complex demands
Alausa acknowledged the complexities involved in the situation, particularly the kidnappers’ shifting demands.
He reassured, “The kidnappers have been changing their demands, but the security agencies are working diligently to bring her back home safely.”
The minister made a heartfelt appeal to the striking doctors, urging, “I appeal to you to call off the strike and let’s keep praying that she comes back home in peace.”
Dr. Alausa also revealed that he had met with NARD’s leadership earlier in the week, urging them to reconsider the strike. He emphasized that the strike could potentially worsen the situation, saying, “We don’t believe this warning strike will do anything. All hands are on deck to secure her release.”
Backstory
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) initiated a nationwide seven-day warning strike on Monday, August 26, 2024, in response to the ongoing captivity of one of their own, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola.
Dr. Popoola, who has been held by her captors for eight harrowing months, became the focal point of an emergency meeting held by NARD’s National Executive Council (NEC), where the decision to strike was solidified.
The strike is comprehensive, with no allowances for emergency care, as declared by NARD President, Dr. Dele Abdullahi reflecting the growing frustration and desperation within the medical community.
What you should know
There have been reports of widespread disruption at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) as the facility joined the nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Monday.
The strike has left dozens of patients stranded at UBTH, unable to receive the medical care they had come for.
