Patients at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, were left stranded on Thursday after doctors embarked on an indefinite strike to protest the alleged assault of one of their colleagues by security personnel.
The industrial action followed an incident reportedly triggered by the death of a patient who had been brought to the hospital by personnel from one of the country’s armed forces. According to reports, the patient’s death led to a confrontation during which the doctor on duty was allegedly assaulted and taken to an unknown location by the security personnel involved.
In response, the Bayelsa State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) directed its members to immediately withdraw their services indefinitely until the matter is addressed.
The strike forced many patients and their relatives to leave the hospital in search of treatment at other healthcare facilities, disrupting medical services at the federal institution.
When journalists visited the hospital, several patients and caregivers were seen leaving the premises as uncertainty and tension surrounded the facility.
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The hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Akpedi Bernard, confirmed the incident, describing it as a crisis that occurred in one of the wards. He said the hospital management was making efforts to resolve the situation and restore normal operations.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Bayelsa State, Comrade Bekinwari David-West, condemned the alleged assault on the doctor and called for a thorough investigation. He urged the relevant authorities to ensure that anyone found responsible is brought to justice.
David-West also appealed to the striking doctors to consider the welfare of patients by suspending the industrial action while dialogue continues to resolve the dispute.
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