UUTH doctors begin indefinite strike after EFCC raid, citing injustice

The University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) has been brought to a standstill as medical professionals and health workers commenced an indefinite strike. This drastic measure follows a forceful raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, an incident that has drawn widespread condemnation from healthcare unions.

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In the early hours of this morning, masked men wearing EFCC jackets stormed into the hospital premises, walked into the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee’s (CMAC) office, Prof. Effiong Ekpe, and they beat him to a pulp.

Eyewitness accounts describe a chaotic scene where EFCC operatives allegedly attempted to arrest a staff member. The situation escalated when reinforcements arrived, and shots were reportedly fired into the air to disperse protesting staff. The hospital's deputy chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Effiong Ekpe, along with three other staff members, were allegedly taken away by the EFCC operatives. Reports also indicate that several individuals sustained injuries and phones were damaged during the confrontation.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Akwa Ibom State, through its Chairman Dr. Aniekan Peters, directed doctors to cease services immediately. The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) also announced a total shutdown of hospital operations. Dr. Gabriel Eyo, PRO of the NMA, decried the EFCC's actions as an "onslaught" and an "injustice," particularly highlighting the treatment of Prof. Ekpe, described as the sole cardiothoracic surgeon in the state. The association argues that due process was not followed, and even criminals are not treated with such disregard.

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Prof. Ekpe is the professor of cardiothoracic surgery, the only one we have in Akwa Ibom State. Anyway, we don’t know what he has done, but we don’t really care at this point. Whatever he did, there’s a due process for this kind of thing. Even criminals are not treated this way.

From the perspective of Nigerian healthcare professionals, this incident represents a deeply concerning overreach by law enforcement and a profound disrespect for the medical community. The Punch's reporting captures the outrage and solidarity among healthcare workers. The strike is not merely a reaction to an arrest but a protest against what is perceived as a brutal and undignified handling of respected medical professionals. The disruption of services at a teaching hospital, especially given the critical nature of healthcare, underscores the gravity of the situation and the depth of the grievance felt by the UUTH staff. The incident raises serious questions about the methods employed by the EFCC and the importance of due process, even in investigations involving public officials.

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I heard that he was about to operate on a patient, and then you whisk him away in such manner? Very demoralizing, very traumatic