The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has asked President Bola Tinubu to order a public inquiry into the raid on the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC operatives had on Tuesday reported to have invaded UUTH in two saloon cars and a tinted bus, with some masked officers, arresting Eyo Ekpe, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery and deputy chairman of the hospital’s medical advisory committee.
In a statement on Friday signed by Olayinka Atilola, NMA national publicity secretary, the association asked Tinubu to direct Ola Olukoyede, EFCC chairman, to investigate the incident and sanction officers involved.
The association described the incident as a “violent disruption” of the hospital environment and called for compensation for affected medical personnel.
“The NMA leadership also uses this medium to call on the President of the Federal Republic, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to direct the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, to open a public inquiry into the entire saga of invasion of UUTH by agents of his Commission,” the statement reads.
The association said the inquiry should identify and reprimand officers involved in the operation.
The NMA said the invasion of the hospital by EFCC operatives was part of a growing trend of harassment and assault against doctors and other healthcare workers across the country.
The association added that such incidents have worsened concerns over poor working conditions, insecurity and the increasing migration of health professionals abroad.
The NMA also called on federal and state governments to enact laws designating hospitals as protected zones and criminalising violence against healthcare workers.
The association urged the presidency to direct law enforcement agencies to channel complaints relating to medical negligence or misconduct through relevant regulatory bodies instead of resorting to police intervention.
On Friday, the commission said it has ordered an investigation into the incident, “even though we have not seen any physical evidence of such brutality in terms of bodily harm or injury to anyone”.
EFCC said it was “outraged” by the allegations of brutalisation of the hospital staff by its operatives
