A campaign to #BringBackDrGanyat highlights the ongoing risks faced by healthcare professionals in Nigeria.
Nigerian doctors have launched a seven-day nationwide strike to demand the release of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, who was kidnapped eight months ago in Kaduna. Dr. Popoola, an ophthalmologist and mother of five, was abducted from her home on December 27, 2023, alongside her husband and nephew. Although her husband was released in March after a ransom was reportedly paid, Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain captive. The kidnappers are demanding $25,000 for her release. The striking doctors, who have suspended even emergency care, accuse security agencies of failing to secure her freedom. Dr. Dele Abdullahi, the doctors’ association president, highlighted the impact of the ordeal on Dr. Popoola’s family and colleagues. He also threatened that doctors would embark on an indefinite strike if nothing changes.
SOURCE: BBC