Some medical doctors in Rivers State have shunned some health centres in the state following a series of kidnappings of their colleagues.

Between June 2015 and January 2016, more than 21 medical doctors have been abducted by gunmen, a development that forced members of the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association to threaten to withdraw their services from the public.
Though the latest victims of the kidnapping, Dr. Isaac Opurum and Dr. Ib Aprioku, have since regained their freedom, some of the doctors have refused to report at their offices.

Worst hit is the health centre in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, where doctors have abandoned their duty post for fear of being kidnapped.

Confirming the development, the Chairman of NMA, Rivers, Dr. Furo Green, said in an interview on Saturday that some younger doctors and other medical officers, who were posted to health centres in rural areas, had deserted their places of work.

The state NMA chairman cited the example of the health centre in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni council area, where incidents of cult clashes and kidnappings were on the increase.
He said, “Many of the younger doctors and medical officers, who were originally posted to health centres in rural areas, are afraid to go their place of primary assignment because of the fear of being kidnapped. “An example is the health centre in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni council area which doctors have completely deserted. Before now, the doctors lived in the town and from there they went to the health centres in the rural areas.
“Now, they no longer go to the health centres. This is the decision they have taken to ensure that they are not kidnapped.”
On why medical doctors have become targets of kidnappers in the state, Green lamented that the kidnappers were having a wrong perception about his colleagues (medical doctors), maintaining that doctors and other health officers are not rich.

He added that though some of the doctors ride “fairly clean” cars and dress neatly, it did not mean that they had a lot of money.
Green said, “The kidnappers have a wrong perception about medical doctors. Because they see us drive fairly clean cars and dress neatly, they think we are rich; but we are not.
“Some of my members got loans from the banks to buy vehicles; some of us have the opportunity to stand as guarantors for them to get loans from the bank to purchase vehicles.”
He stated the need for government to provide security for health institutions in order to give medical doctors the confidence to work without fear.

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