Abia doctors down tools over kidnap of colleague

Doctors in Abia State have announced withdrawal of their services in both public and private hospitals to register their displeasure over the kidnap and continued detention of their colleague, Professor Uwadinachi Iweha.

Professor Iweha was Kidnapped on Sunday 6th June, 2022, around 4:00pm, in front of his house at Umuokpara in Umuahia South Local Government Area.

The doctors had during their earlier protest last Friday, threatened to down tools if after 47 hours their Kidnapped colleague were not released.

Declaring the decision of the doctors Tuesday after a rally and prayer session at the car park of the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, the Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Abia State, Dr Chimezie Okwuonu, said the action was to alert the world that the safety of doctors in the state was no longer guaranteed.

NMA argued that there was no way doctors would continue to provide maximum services amid uncertainties over the safety of their members who are always on duty to serve humanity.

Arising from its meeting on Friday 10th June 2022, the NMA Abia State Branch took a peaceful protest to the Government house where it registered its displeasure at the kidnap of its senior medical colleague.

Similar rally was also held by doctors at the Abia State Teaching hospital, Aba.

Prof Iweha served as the Chief Medical Director of Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba; and Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre.

He is currently the Provost of Gregory University College Of Medicine, Umuahia Campus.