Patients were forced to leave the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, in droves on Thursday after doctors embarked on an indefinite strike following the alleged assault of one of their colleagues by security personnel.

Daily Trust gathered that the problem started after a patient reportedly died while receiving treatment at the hospital.

The death of the patient said to have been brought in by men from one of the armed forces organizations, had allegedly provoked some security personnel, who reportedly assaulted the doctor on duty and took him to an unknown destination.

The incident provoked the Bayelsa State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to direct its members to withdraw their services indefinitely in protest, leaving many patients and their relatives stranded and seeking medical attention at other health facilities.

When Daily Trust correspondent visited the hospital, there was noticeable tension as patients and their caregivers were seen leaving the premises in search of alternative medical care.

The public relations officer of the hospital, Mr. Akpedi Bernard, who confirmed the incident, said it was being handled by the management of the hospital.

He said the strike resulted from the crisis they had in one of the wards, but the management is up and down trying to resolve the situation.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Comrade Bekinwari David-West, condemned the alleged assault on the doctor and called on the relevant authorities to investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

David-West also appealed to the striking doctors to consider the plight of patients and the general public by suspending the industrial action while efforts are made to resolve the dispute through dialogue. (Daily Trust)

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