Medical services were grounded on Thursday 14th March, 2024 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu as nurses withdrew their services to protest the kidnap of a Deputy Director of Nursing Services in the hospital, Ngozi Mba.
The nurses who marched round the hospital premises with placards with various inscriptions vowed that they would not return to work until their colleague is released.
They also said the demonstrations will continue tomorrow Friday at Okpara Square Enugu from where they will proceed to the Government House where they intend to register their grievances with the government.
A visit to the wards showed that patients were not being attended to as the nurses sat in groups, discussing the incident.
There are indications that other medical staff including medical doctors will also withdraw their services in due course in solidarity with the nurses.
The President of the Association of Resident Doctors at the UNTH, Dr. Emmanuel Ogbu who spoke to newsmen said the Association will hold a congress tomorrow Friday 15 March to decide on their next line of action following the development.
Dr. Ogbu states that the abduction of health workers is yet another challenge facing the health sector and worsening the issue of migration of health workers from the country.
He said even though the hospital is a federal institution, the state government should do more to secure the hospital which serves its citizens.
A family source confirmed that the abductors are demanding the sum of twenty million naira as ransom for the release of the nurse.
