Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto have joined the one-week warning strike declared by the association.
Confirming their participation, the hospital’s NARD chairman, Dr. Uzairu Abdullahi, spoke to our correspondent by phone on Monday afternoon.
The strike is in response to the kidnapping of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a colleague who was abducted nearly eight months ago in 2023.
NARD President, Dr. Dele Abdullahi, informed our correspondent on Sunday that the strike would commence on Monday, August 26, 2024, at midnight.
Abdullahi confirmed that members nationwide are joining the strike. He stated, “The warning strike is to demand the immediate rescue of our colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, from her kidnappers.
She has been held captive for too long, and it’s time for the government and security agencies to take more decisive action.”
He added, “As we observe the strike here, our colleagues at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Kware have also joined in.”
It should be recalled that Dr. Popoola, an employee of Kaduna Eye Centre, was abducted eight months ago by bandits, along with her husband. While her husband was later released, Dr. Popoola remains in captivity.
Last week, NARD organized peaceful protests across federal hospitals in the country, urging the government and security agencies to secure Dr. Popoola’s release without further delay.
Dr. Popoola was kidnapped on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew, with two still in captivity.
In July, NARD raised concerns within the medical community and called for the immediate release of their colleague.
During the protests, the association announced that if Dr. Popoola was not rescued by August 26, its members would go on a seven-day warning strike to press their demands.
Earlier reports indicated that NARD had given the government a two-week ultimatum for the unconditional release of its members.
 at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto have joined the one-week warning strike declared by the association.){kind=link}