Ugo Nosiri, Owerri
Medical practitioners in Owerri, under the auspices of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, have joined other doctors all over the country in a peaceful protest over their colleague, Professor Ekanem Ephraim, who was kidnapped in Calabar the Cross River state capital.
The Medical practitioners in what they called White ribbon day, wore white arm bands, carrying placards with different inscriptions and marched within the Federal University Teaching Hospital.
The chairman of MDCAN, Dr. Emdim, who spoke to Ikengaonline said that the protest is to register their grievances to the government at all levels not just for their kidnapped colleague, but for all others who are being held captive by kidnappers.
“We pray for her safe and sound release. This is also in solidarity with other doctors and every other Nigerian who have been kidnapped. We are not happy about the kidnap of any person at all. We are hoping that by this, the kidnapping will stop.”
Dr Emdim disclosed that their colleague Professor Dr. Ephraim was kidnapped for the second time from her office 50 days ago, and they feared for her life as nothing had been heard of her.
Addressing the protesting consultants, the Chief Medical Director Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, Dr. Kingsley Achigbu, decried the inccesant kidnappings going on in the country and called on security agencies and government at all levels to map out modalities to stop this menace.
Dr. Achigbu commended the consultants for not taking laws into their hands by downing tools, but chose to make their voices heard in a peaceful manner.
“Unfortunately, many of our colleagues have gone for greener pastures elsewhere. Not just doctors, but other members of the health team. And the few that have decided to stay in the country to help are the ones that are being traded as commodities. It is not fair.”
The CMD assured the grieving consultants that he would convey their message to their parents ministry, hoping that they would convey the message to higher authority for action.
The consultants said a prayer for their colleague and other Nigerians who are suffering in the kidnappers’ den.
