The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has embarked on a seven-day warning strike over the abduction of their colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola, who 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.
Abdullahi announced that the strike, which began at midnight on Monday, August 26, 2024, is a warning but will be fully enforced. “The strike is complete, with no allowances or emergency services during this time,” he stated. “All facilities, both federal and state, must fully comply and ensure a proper handover of patients to consultants. Any facility found in violation of NARD’s decision will face significant fines and be barred from participating in the upcoming NARD AGM.”
Earlier, Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew. Her husband was released in March, but Popoola and her nephew are still held captive. NARD members had previously staged protests at tertiary hospitals nationwide to demand Popoola’s release.
