SOME Nigerian medical doctors have raised alarms over the deteriorating state of their mental health and well-being due to increasing threats to their safety.
They particularly deplored the increasing rate of abductions and kidnappings of their colleagues across the country.
A cross-section of the doctors who spoke in separate interviews with The ICIR, noted that while there have been cases of attacks on healthcare centres and medical practitioners, little or nothing has been done to protect their lives.
They added that some of those who were unfortunately abducted remain in captivity or have been killed.
The ICIR reports that the health sector is grappling with a surge in insecurity, leaving many doctors fearing for their lives.
This is happening at a critical time when the doctor-to-patient ratio is alarmingly low, exacerbated by the mass exodus of medical practitioners from Nigeria.
The ICIR reported that in 2003, there were 2.65 doctors available to attend to every 10,000 people in the country.
The number peaked at 4.49 in 2016 and slightly decreased to 3.81 in 2018, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) records.
The situation in 2024 has not improved, as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) President, Bala Audu, noted that this ratio has deteriorated to alarming levels.
According to him, Nigeria’s doctor-patient ratio is approximately 1,000 per cent below the WHO recommendation.
While several factors contributed to this, the worsening insecurity and poor working conditions are now believed to be one of the major problems making it difficult to provide adequate care in Nigeria, as they noted that the few medical doctors left in the country may now reconsider their stay in the country over the insecurity threat.
Spotlight on Ruqoyat Popoola’s abduction
Eight months have passed since the abduction of Ruqoyat Popoola, a resident doctor at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, yet she remains in captivity, with no clear indications of her release.
Her abduction has led to growing concerns, as both family and her colleagues, resident doctors, have continued to protest and appeal to authorities to secure her release.
The ICIR reports that Ruqoyat, 25, was abducted on December 15, 2023, along with her husband and nephew, Folaranmi Abdul-Mugniy, a student at the Air Force Technology Institute.
However, her husband was released after paying a ransom.
While The ICIR cannot independently confirm the amount paid by her husband, reports have it that the kidnappers demanded for N60 million before they released Popoola’s husband.
Since the incident, according to NARD, the abductors have called severally and occasionally allowed some family members to speak to them.
Protests, strike…yet no headway
Meanwhile, in response to what is perceived as little government effort to secure Popoola’s release, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on protests in all tertiary hospitals across the country.
The ICIR reports that NARD members, Osun State University Teaching Hospital chapter, staged a protest to demand Popoola’s unconditional release.
The doctors who trooped out in their numbers on Friday, August 16, said if their demand for the release of their colleague was not met, they would have no option but to down tools.
Others in states such as the FCT, Kano and Ogun, also embarked on a solitude walk and protest for Popoola’s release, and further threatened a nationwide strike if she is not free by August 26.
The association, consequently, embarked on a seven-day warning strike, which began at midnight on Monday, August 26.
According to Punch, the NARD President, Dele Abdullahi, on Sunday, August 25, said the decision was made during the group’s emergency national executive council meeting.
According to him, the strike would ensure that NARD members suspend all services in hospitals, including emergency care.
However, the federal ministry of health and social welfare threatened to invoke a “no work, no pay” policy on the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over their one-week warning strike.
The ministry said in a statement signed by its assistant director of information and public relations, Ado Bako, on August 29, that the doctors’ strike was premature and counterproductive.
“Over the past months, the ministry, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, including the office of the National Security Adviser, (NSA), have been working tirelessly to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of Ganiyat Popoola. High-level discussions and coordinated efforts are currently under way and we remain confident that these measures will lead to a positive outcome.
This, doctors, who spoke with The ICIR, said is not the best approach to address the ongoing matter, noting that the federal government’s action may trigger a comprehensive strike from the NMA.
Trauma of abductions, attacks on healthcare doctors
The plight of Nigerian doctors has worsened over the past few years, with abductions and attacks on healthcare centres that do not look like it will subside soon, according to medical doctors who spoke with The ICIR.
Many of these doctors are now living in constant fear, with their sense of duty being nearly overshadowed by concerns for their safety.
Speaking to The ICIR, Daniel Ekeleme, a medical practitioner, expressed deep frustration over the increasing abductions of doctors across the country. “It’s quite unfortunate, the rate of kidnappings of doctors presently in the country. We are talking about a female doctor who has been kidnapped for quite a long time, and yet nothing has been done regarding that. It’s not only that; recently, there have been other cases,” he lamented.
On the impacts of the attacks on medical practitioners and patients, Isah Tijani, another medical doctor, who is also the president of the Association of Resident Doctors, Kano, noted that the rising incidents of abductions and insecurity have severely led to significant challenges in delivering quality healthcare in the country.
“So, basically the security, social security and security of lives and property is one of the basic necessities that government should provide to citizens.
“Wherever you want to practice, you need to be comfortable both physically and mentally.
“Whenever there are issues like this arising from abduction and whatever may be, doctors may not have the mental stability to practice properly.”
Tijani emphasised that the mental well-being of doctors is crucial for the proper treatment of patients.
“When issues like abduction arise, doctors may not have the mental stability to practice properly. If a doctor is not mentally stable, they may treat patients wrongly,” he warned.
He stressed that the fear of being targeted has also led many doctors to avoid working in areas notorious for kidnappings and banditry.
“Doctors will tend to run away from such areas, especially when they have options,” Tijani noted.
Kidnappings fuel fear, mass exodus in Nigeria
Ekeleme who is the Abia State NMA vice chairman, highlighted the growing fear among healthcare workers, especially doctors, who are often called to work in rural areas or at odd hours to save lives.
He noted that the rising threat of abductions has made many doctors hesitant to fulfill their duties.
“The problem is that it creates this fear among healthcare workers, especially doctors going to work in rural areas or coming at all time to give service delivery.
“Some of them are called at different times of the day, sometimes very late at night to come and save lives but then when you remember that you are now an endangered species that you can be kidnapped,” he said.
According to Ekeleme, the impact of these kidnappings extends beyond personal safety, as it also affects the morale and availability of doctors.
While questioning the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security apparatus, he noted the lack of action to rescue kidnapped medical practitioners.
“So far, nothing has been done. With all the security apparatus that we have in this country, it’s so unfortunate we now have to resort to strikes to press our demand for the rescue of kidnapped medical practitioners. It’s very unfair.”
Ekeleme also linked the rising insecurity to the increasing rate at which doctors are leaving the country.
Also, Tijani, noted that the reason of the mass exodus of Nigerian doctors could now be traced to insecurity in the country, noting that other countries attracting Nigerian doctors are providing better security and remuneration.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M