Nigerian Doctors End Strike, Resume Work Amid Ongoing Abduction Crisis

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members to resume work on Monday, September 2, 2024, after a seven-day nationwide warning strike. The strike was called to press for the rescue of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, who was kidnapped eight months ago.

Popoola was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew. While her husband was released in March, Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity. The Federal Government had threatened to invoke the "no work, no pay" policy for the striking resident doctors, but the doctors remained unmoved by the threat.

In a statement, NARD President Dr. Dele Abdullahi said the association would review the Federal Government’s commitment to resolving its demand in the next three weeks. Abdullahi expressed hope that the government would sustain its current line of action to ensure the safe release of Popoola and her nephew.

The strike, which began last Monday, was aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the abducted doctor and her family. The association’s decision to suspend the strike and resume work comes as a relief to patients and healthcare workers across the country.

The Nigerian government has been under pressure to ensure the safe release of Popoola and her nephew, and the suspension of the strike is seen as a positive development in the ongoing crisis. However, the association’s decision to review the government’s commitment to resolving its demand in the next three weeks suggests that the issue is far from over.

As the situation continues to unfold, the Nigerian government and the medical community will be closely watching the developments to ensure that the abducted doctor and her family are safely released and that the healthcare system in the country is not disrupted further.