Resident doctors begin nationwide strike over colleague’s abduction

Members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), have begun a seven-day warning strike over the abduction of their colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola.

Popoola has been in kidnappers den for eight months.

The President of NARD, Dr Dele Abdullahi, announced the strike during a virtual emergency meeting of the National Executive Council held Sunday.

He said the strike, which commenced at midnight on Monday, August 26, 2024, is a warning but total in effect.

“The strike is total, and there will be no concessions or emergency care during this period.

“All centres, both federal and state, should ensure full compliance, even as proper handover of patients to consultants should be done.

“Any centre found to have defaulted on the decision of NARD would be fined heavily and denied participation in the forthcoming NARD AGM.”

A registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Popoola, was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew.

Her husband was released in March, while Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity.

Members of NARD had earlier protested in all tertiary hospitals across the nation to demand Popoola’s release.