The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned Nigerians to desist from the growing culture of impunity against health workers, especially doctors.

The association threatened to match the abuse of any medical doctor with equal and opposite legitimate force. Their anger may not be unconnected with the slow pace of investigation over the gruesome murder of their colleague, Dr. Uyi Iluobe, on December 29, 2022. NMA president, Dr. Uche Ojinmah, briefing the press in Asaba, threatened that if the murder is not quickly solved, it would propel many doctors as it is already doing, to migrate because of the lack of security in Nigeria.

They called on governments at all levels and security agencies to quickly bring perpetrators of the crime to justice in the interest of peace in the health sector.

While regretting that it had been over three months since the crime was committed and as far as they knew, no reasonable arrest had been made and no one charged to court over the crime, they called on all men and women of goodwill in Nigeria to lend their voices to the call in the interest of peace. “While we understand the anxiety associated with ill health among our patients and their relatives, we shall no longer bear the brunt while doing our best to provide cure or alleviation of symptoms. Let it be known that the NMA shall insist on the prosecution of anyone that attacks a doctor in his or her line of duty. Apologies and appeals for mercy shall no longer be accepted.

Ada Peter