BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – Patients and their family members in Cross River State Government-owned hospitals are currently facing hard times as protesting doctors insist they will remain on the streets over the kidnapping of their colleague, Dr Emem Udo
Accordingly, the state branch of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARDs) has urged patients to vacate the public hospitals and seek medical attention elsewhere as they will not return to work until their colleague presently in captivity is released unconditionally.
A statement by the resident doctors, who took to the Streets of Calabar, the Cross River State capital on Wednesday, frowned at what they described as the ineptitude of on the part of government, especially its indifferent approach to public safety given that the spate of kidnapping in the state has taken a turn for the worst in recent times.
Similarly, the association said given its resolve and tough stand on the matter, it is engaging private medical institutions across the State to stop servicing patients as part of measures to highlight their plight and press home their demands for government to act proactively by providing adequate security to ensure the safety of all citizens, including the resident doctors.
Some of the protesting doctors, who spoke to Forefront during the street protest, said that though kidnapping remains a national challenge, Cross River, hitherto known for its serenity as a haven for peace and tranquility, is gradually turning into a den for kidnappers with the state government paying lip service to checking the mounting cases of kidnapping in the State.
At the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and the State General Hospital, located on the popular Mary Slessor Avenue in Calabar, relations of patients and some concerned stakeholders have been making frantic efforts to relocate to private clinics in town. However, there are palpable fears that most of these clinics are poorly equipped and do not have requisite medical facilities to contend with the ailments of some patients.
However, the doctors’ protest has continued to attract public outcry with concerned citizens appealing to NARDs to reconsider its stand as patients in critical conditions and others just operated upon are being exposed to unhealthy medical situations that could further jeopardize their recovery.
