Aug. 2, 2021

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Zamfara Chapter, has given the state government a two-week ultimatum to provide adequate security for health facilities across the state.

The association threatened to shut down all facilities in the state at 6 p.m. daily if government failed to provide adequate security

This is contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the NMA, Dr. Mannir Bature, in Gusau on Monday.

Bature condemned the recent kidnap of two persons at the Dansadau General Hospital by gunmen in Maru Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, a ward attendant and a patient’s relation were abducted on Friday at the hospital by the suspected bandits.

He called on government to urgently address attacks on medical services or “else the health workers in the state would shut down all health facilities by 6 p.m. daily’’.

“The bandits were specifically looking for the doctors and nurses in the hospital, which is posing concern to the medical practitioners in the state.

“The association believes the bandits are targeting the medical doctors and other healthcare workers for ransom and to help them treat their injured colleagues.

“We want the government and security agencies to provide adequate and special security to secure all health facilities and protect healthcare workers across the state,’’ Bature said.(NAN)