The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Osun State chapter has recounted that its members are facing harassment from security operatives, especially military personnel.
The chairman of NMA in Osun, Dr Rasak Akindele threatened to stop its members from working if the government failed to address the alleged harassment of health workers.
Africa Today News, New York learnt that a bus conveyed some nurses to work was stopped by military personnel in Osogbo and they were asked to kneel during the indefinite curfew that was imposed by the governor Gboyega Oyetola on Saturday.
It was also gathered that another set of doctors while going to resume duty, were also asked to kneel for about two hours in the state even after showing their identity cards.
Our correspondent gathered that about 1000 nurses went on strike for hours on Sunday protesting the levels of harassment they are receiving from security operatives that are enforcing the curfew.
Confirming the incident to Africa Today News, New York on Monday, Akindele lamented that its members were being harassed across the State during the curfew.
He said, ‘They asked one doctor that was going to work to kneel for one and a half hour. Presenting the I.D card does not even concern them until a superior officer came and identified the man before they could release him.’
He described the act as demoralising, adding that such a doctor could not be able to carry out his duty without the emotional trauma.
Akindele recalled that such treatment also happened to health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic when the government announced total lockdown of the State.
This treatment, according to him, meant that the government want health workers to stay away whenever there is lockdown or curfew order.
‘That shouldn’t go on like that, in a country that we are shouting for sanity, and we are still correcting sanity with insanity,’ he said.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK