Nigerian doctors in the US are taking President Goodluck Jonathan to task for being slow to tackle the booming kidnapping industry in the South East part of the country. ANPA members are also expressing solidarity with their colleagues at home who have become the target of the out-of-control kidnapping racket. According to the Nigerian Medical association (NMA), more than 20 doctors have been kidnapped in Abia State alone in the past one year. Nigeria Health Watch, a blog that focuses on health care in Nigeria, has rounded up several recent cases in which doctors were the victims.
The kidnappers, increasingly emboldened by a seemingly incompetent and flat-footed police, routinely terrorize citizens and have paralyzed economic activities in the once bustling Abia and neighboring states. Perhaps, the most brazen incident occurred last week when gunmen murdered Dr. Stanley Uche, a gynecologist and proprietor of Victory Christian Hospital, Aba, even after allegedly collecting N30 million ransom from the wife. Just a year ago, the then President of the NMA, Dr. Prosper Igboeli and his wife, narrowly escaped the onslaught of a gang of kidnappers who attacked his hospital, also in Abia State.
Besieged by the spate of kidnappings and the general insecurity of life, doctors have embarked on limited strikes, protest marches, and public appeals to the government. After Dr. Uche's murder, many public and private hospitals in Abia State were shut down for several days and some doctors have begun to flee the state. ANPA member, Dr. Obi Emerole is troubled by this development, stating that "violent crime has become the number one public health issue in the country especially in the eastern states". Dr. Emerole, who is a cardiologist, worries that the siege on doctors will only exacerbate the already severe shortage of doctors and demoralize the few who risk their lives in the service of their patients. The ultimate victims, Dr. Emerole fears, will be the masses of Nigerian citizens for whom the already poor health conditions will worsen as more hospitals close and doctors flee to safer parts of the country or migrate abroad.
We spoke to many ANPA members who expressed sadness and outright indignation at the ineptitude of the security forces and the apparent indifference of government to citizens who
are being terrorized by the hoodlums on a daily basis. A large-scale effort is underway within ANPA to mobilize members for concerted pressure on the Federal Government, to take immediate action to address the problem. According to Dr. Olusegun Salako, a past President of ANPA, "to remain silent is...being complicit with evil". Dr. Salako, an obstetrician and gynecologist, has canvased support for a joint representation to President Jonathan by ANPA and other Diaspora groups including the Medical Association of Nigerians across Great Britain (MANSAG). Pharmaceutical scientist, Dr. Echeazu Ogu believes that the primary responsibility stops with the President. Dr. Ogu, also an ANPA member, noted that "the Health Minister by himself is powerless to affect the situation". He pointed out that even the state governors are powerless because the police commissioners do not report to them. Clearly, Dr. Ogu said, "police and security issues are Federal Government responsibilities".
ANPA President, Dr. Fiemu Nwariaku and his MANSAG counterpart Dr. Dilly Anumba have recently summoned emergency meetings of their organizations' leadership to address the matter. Dr. Nwariaku said that ANPA's vision of a "healthier Nigeria in a healthier world" cannot be achieved under the present atmosphere of insecurity that "significantly impairs the ability of health professionals from within and outside the country to fulfill their duty of providing Nigerian citizens, access to health care in their own country". ANPA, and other Diaspora medical groups, he said, wanted to send a strong message of solidarity and
encouragement to their colleagues at home. "Nigerian doctors are courageous patriots working to save lives under impossible conditions. The least they ask from the government is basic safety", Dr. Nwariaku added.
Now that ANPA “sees” a Public Health issue in these senseless murders, a fact I pointed out years ago when the Igbo were selectively being routinely publicly murdered in Northern Nigeria, with the connivance of the Northern State Governments and so-called Federal Government of Nigeria, I would suggest that ANPA make a formal “FINDING” that these murders and kidnappings, racially-based, religion-based or politically motivated or merely internecine, CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE and hazard.
ReplyDeleteWith such a formal finding, and since it is in the Public Health arena, ANPA can get help and support not just locally, but from WHO, UN, EU, and many other International Organizations. Even the AMA can help since ANPA exists within the USA.
If in fact ANPA shows courage in this area, it will soon be seen as playing a leadership role and will be recognized as such by a World bewildered by the nonchalance of African Professionals who function with excellence in foreign countries but fail to take an effective stand in their own lacking home countries. Or, worse, serve the wrong masters and parties—any government in power—in their home-countries when what is needed is, in medical parlance well known to us, Radical Surgery: A Revolution.
This is more important than setting up Managed Care in a failed State called Nigeria, or introducing Electronic Health System in a place where 95% of the population get inadequate care—if at all; and the rest fly out to foreign countries for mere Blood Pressure checks. Or even going on Medical Missions: Charity Medicine is a baneful prescription for 150 Million people.
Good thing none of us will be around on Judgment Day when Posterity and Historians will show no mercy for our conduct as a Profession and as the Elite of our time who refused to act to save our respective peoples from the ravages of a failed system, when we could have.
There is always an opportunity for redemption…
Oguchi Nkwocha, MD
Nwa Biafra
A Biafran Citizen
Please allow me to wade in and share my views on the shameful kidnapping saga in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteIt appears Nigerians are simply numb to the senseless and barbaric attitudes of a very well co-ordinated domestic terrorists.
In fact, the same cowardice acts were being perpetrated in the the presence of ANPA members while we were in Abuja. Not soon after we left Abuja was the president of NMA escaped the brutal hands of these evil doers. Though they masquerade as kidnappers, in reality their actions are directed, orchestrated and financed by a well coordinated group of powerful Nigerians.
The kidnapping cartel continue to dare and challenge the government to catch them with blatant disregard to the rule of law. Their disdain to society objectives and policies then beg the question on when would Nigerians wake up.
If hundreds of innocent Nigerian citizens are been killed under the guise of ethnic clashes and nothing happens when would Nigerians wake up?
If condemned and near dead politicians are waking up to run the country and nothing happens when would Nigeria wake up?
If children are been offered for sacrifice under the guise of a demonic religion when would Nigeria wake up?
If doctors are been kidnapped and slaughtered without any government action when would Nigeria wake up?
Even now that children are been kidnapped for ransom when would Nigeria wake up?
The greatness of a country lies in its power to protect the rights of its citizens.
Nigerians where are thou?
And I say where are thou when the wicked roam the street and extend its evil hand to rip the flesh off the gentle skin of thy innocent children.
We must all act with courage, fortitude and determination.
We must speak with one voice and convey a message of solidarity to our fallen comrades and children.
ANPA we can do it and yes we can!
Johnson Adeyanju,MD
Chair, Northern CA Chapter