The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has announced the release of a kidnapped resident doctor, Dr Orockarrah Orock, from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State.
It was learned that Orock, who works in the UNTH Anesthesia Department, was kidnapped on Saturday night while on call duty.
Dr Celestine Ugwoke, Chairman of the NMA Enugu State Chapter, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, saying Orock miraculously escaped after the kidnappers were satisfied with the offer to pay the ransom demanded by his wife and went to have a “nice time with their weeds and spirits and fell into deep sleep.”
“He called his wife, who called the UNTH chief security officer, who came to pick him up at midnight on Saturday.” “We are eternally grateful to God for his miraculous survival,” he stated.
The Chairman, on the other hand, stated that physicians have become endangered professions in the state, since kidnappers frequently target them, particularly those working in tertiary health facilities.
“We are really in trouble as doctors are now their target and we are living in fear as the kidnappers now chase us as if they are chasing rats,” he went on to say.
The Chairman said that if any more physicians were kidnapped at UNTH, doctors at the teaching hospital would be forced to shut down, and that this warning would be extended to other tertiary institutions in the state.
Ugwoke stated that the organization will meet with UNTH’s Chief Medical Director (CMD) to demand the publication of the hospital’s security procedure in order to protect the safety of all physicians, management staff, and patients.
“We also want hospital management to beef up security within the hospital, ensure adequate perimeter fencing around the entire facility, and install Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) and monitoring stations within the hospital.”
“As an association, we have previously met with the state’s Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of Police to discuss the high level of insecurity our members face even while performing life-saving professional duties.”
“All efforts through official letters and other means to pay Gov. Peter Mbah a courtesy call and inform him on the critical issue of doctors’ security in the state had proven futile.”
“Perhaps the government would prefer that doctors leave their posts and carry placards to the Enugu Government House before listening to us.” If this is allowed to continue, it will be disastrous,” he warned.
Attempts to reach the Spokesperson for the Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, for comment were futile because he did not answer repeated calls sent to his cellphone.
