The Enugu State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has sounded an alarm, reporting that more than 10 doctors have been kidnapped or subjected to violent crimes in less than two months in Enugu State. This disclosure came through a communiqué issued after an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) held on November 14, 2023, at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Enugu.
The communiqué, jointly signed by Dr. Celestine Ugwoke, Chairman of NMA Enugu State, and Dr. Sunday Okafor, the General Secretary, expressed serious concern over the dangerous trend, describing it as unprecedented in the annals of Enugu State.
The association highlighted the porous security arrangements in public hospitals, emphasizing the need for enhanced security measures to protect medical practitioners and citizens. It also lamented the inadequacy of security infrastructure and installations in the state, calling for urgent intervention from the Enugu State Government.
The resolutions from the EGM include:
- A call to the Enugu State Government to ensure armed security personnel heavily guard all public hospitals and increase the presence of armed security patrol teams across the state.
- Urgent request for the state government to revamp the current security architecture through adequate funding, installation of modern technologies, and other innovative security measures.
- A demand for security agencies to scale up operations, abort the current trend, and bring culprits to justice.
- Mandating health institutions to provide decent call rooms, meals, and other facilities for Medical/Dental consultants on hospital calls or alternatively, offer a to-and-fro Ambulance escort.
- Urgent setup of a Security Committee in health institutions, adopting the UNTH template, and incorporating their own peculiarities.
- Official communication to relevant security agencies for better collaboration, security sensitization tours, and increased presence in major health institutions.
- Notification to the State Government and relevant authorities that the Association will closely monitor the implementation of these resolutions, with potential implications for industrial harmony in the entire health sector if progress is not made.
The NMA’s strong stance reflects growing concerns over the safety of healthcare professionals in the face of rising insecurity, and it underscores the urgent need for proactive security measures to protect both medical practitioners and citizens in Enugu State.
