Catholic Medical Practitioners Demand Immediate Release Of 20 Abducted Student Doctors
The Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (ACMPN) has called for intensified effort towards securing the freedom of 20 medical students who were kidnapped on Otukpo-Enugu road on Aug. 16.
ACMPN made the call in Communique issued at the end of its emergency Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday
The 20 students were on their way to the annual conference of the Catholic Medical students’ Association in Enugu.
The Catholic medical professionals in the statement signed by Prof. Hadiza Agbo, the president condemned the kidnap of the students as an atrocious act and a dangerous signal for the nation’s health sector.
The association said the development would affect the mental health of the students negatively as well as worsen the brain drain syndrome because young doctors would prefer to study and work outside the country
According to them, this abduction has the ability to reverse all the efforts made at keeping medical professionals to work in Nigeria.
“Tragically, these students were forcefully abducted from the commercial vehicle on their way to attend the annual conference of the Catholic Medical Students Association in Enugu.
“The Association empathise with their parents, friends, colleagues, we understand the pains in your heart, the nightmares and sleepless nights, and we assure you that you are not alone in this.
“They are still held captives leading to an unimaginable toll on the physical and mental health of their immediate family, colleagues, friends, teachers and the school authority,” ACMPN said.
ACMPN commended the Benue State Police Command for its effort at rescuing the students but called on the government and all the other relevant authorities to take urgent, proactive and decisive action to secure their release.
ACMPN called on the Federal and State governments to make safety of medical students and doctors top priority as part of measures to achieve holistic health sector security and well-being of citizens.
It said the incident could potential to demoralise their
colleagues, on-coming students, parents and also adversely effect the literacy rate and jeopardise efforts at improving our health sector.
“We appeal to government at all levels to ensure safe and conducive atmosphere
for learning and we urge every concerned Nigerian to join us to pray for the safe release of these students and doctors,” it said.
