TheCable

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Cross River chapter, has suspended the strike embarked upon following the abduction of one of its members.

On July 14, Ekanem Ephraim, a medical doctor with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), was abducted by gunmen at her residence.

Felix Archibong, chairman of the NMA in Cross River, had said the kidnappers disguised as patients to gain access to the doctor’s residence.

He said Ephraim was attending to them when they brought out weapons and whisked her away.

After the incident, doctors in the state commenced an indefinite strike. They also protested at the state house of assembly, demanding the doctor’s rescue.

Speaking after an emergency general meeting by the association on Saturday in Calabar, Archibong said the NMA has given the state government two weeks to rescue their colleague.

They said at the expiration of the ultimatum, they would meet to review the actions of government, in order to determine the next line of action.

“Following a letter of appeal from Governor Bassey Otu, advice of the national president of the association and for the sake of many of the citizens who are suffering, we have suspended the strike to give government time to rescue our member,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“This action has been carried out despite the fact that our member has not been released; however, if any of our member is kidnapped again, we will go back to strike.

“We are appealing to security agents to step up and maintain the momentum that has been established in the last few weeks, which has reduced cases of kidnapping in the state.”

The chairman said the association prays that the doctor is rescued alive. Should the opposite happen however, there should be modalities by the government for necessary closure, he said.

He said this would allow the family mourn the deceased.

He called on people with valuable information to come forward, as the governor had placed a bounty of N5 million on the kidnappers.