UPTH doctors join seven-day warning strike over colleague’s abduction

Resident doctors at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) have joined the seven-day warning strike declared by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The President, Association of Resident Doctors UPTH Chapter, Dr Dumbari Mbooh, who confirmed this to Channels Television on Monday, said the decision is in solidarity with their colleague, Dr Ganiyat Popoola, who was kidnapped eight months ago in Kaduna.

He said the resident doctors at UPTH have been communicated following the decision taken by the National Executive Council of NARD to proceed on the warning strike.

While calling on the Federal Government to improve security and address other challenges across the country, Dr Dumbari said that at the expiration of the seven-day warning strike, the doctors at UPTH are ready to join a full blown strike if their colleague is not released.

A visit to some Wards and Departments in the hospital shows skeletal activities as a handful of doctors were seen with few patients waiting to be attended to.

The President of NARD, Dr Dele Abdullahi, declared the strike after a virtual Emergency National Executive Council meeting held on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

He said the warning strike would last one week and be total, as there would be no emergency care.