Members of the Nigerian Medical Association ,NMA, Ebonyi State Chapter, have withdrawn their services in all government and private hospitals in the state.
The decision of the association was made known by its Chairman, Dr Chidi Esike, at a press conference in Abakaliki.
He said that the withdrawal was due to the kidnap of a consultant pediatrician, Dr Pius Maiyike, a staff the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, who was kidnapped in the state on Sunday.
This is happening few days after the doctors embarked on a similar action to protest an alleged assault on their colleague by a retired permanent secretary.
In February, an Assistant Superintendent of Police was alleged to have manhandled a doctor on duty and inflicted injuries on him.
The Ebonyi NMA boss said that the doctors could not continue to operate under an unsafe and insecure environment.
He said: “We shall, however, resume our services immediately our colleague is released by the kidnappers.
“The kidnappers should know that doctors do humanitarian work and are not wealthy.
“During this period, there will be no skeletal services by the doctors. It is a pity that doctors now work under siege”.
He, however, appealed to the Governor, Chief Martin Elechi, the police, State Security Service and other security operatives to secure the release of Maiyike from the kidnappers.
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