…say arrests, intimidation, threaten healthcare delivery

Medical doctors in Lagos, under the umbrellas of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), staged a rare joint protest on Saturday, raising alarm over what they described as persistent harassment, intimidation, and unlawful arrests by security agencies, particularly the police.

At the protest rally tagged “Protest Against Harassment of Doctors,” the ANPMP Lagos Chairman, Jonathan Esegine, said the demonstration was both unprecedented and necessary to prevent a breakdown in healthcare delivery across the state.

“This is a gathering of historical importance because, in recent times, this has not happened,” he said. “As the African proverb says, the rabbit does not run in the daytime unless something is pursuing it. Something is pursuing us.”

Esegine warned that the growing trend of arrests and intimidation poses a serious threat not only to doctors but also to patients who depend on timely medical care. He accused law enforcement agencies, particularly the Criminal Investigation Department, of overstepping their bounds.

“Doctors are being hounded at will, abducted from their practices, harassed, intimidated, maltreated and imprisoned without just cause,” he said. “They label doctors with offences without charges or trial, acting as accuser, prosecutor and judge at the same time.”

He cited multiple incidents where doctors were allegedly taken from hospitals while attending to patients, leading to disruption of critical services and, in some cases, avoidable loss of lives.

“There have been instances where doctors are whisked away from patients and detained for days. While that happens, services are shut down, and patients are denied care,” he added.

A key concern raised by the protesting doctors is the rise of “defensive medicine,” a situation where fear of arrest influences clinical decisions. According to Esegine, this could have grave consequences for emergency care.

“When faced with emergencies, a doctor may begin to hesitate, asking: ‘If this goes wrong, will I be arrested and labelled a murderer?’ That is dangerous for society,” he said.

He stressed that medical professionals are not infallible, noting that even under the best care, outcomes can be unpredictable. “We are not God. We can only care; only God guarantees life. Patients die everywhere in the world, even under the best medical care,” he said.

The doctors maintained that only the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has the legal authority to investigate cases of alleged medical negligence, not the police.

Also speaking, Lagos NMA Chairman, Dr Babajide Saheed, condemned what he described as “multi-agency harassment,” including public vilification on social media.

“We are not happy. Doctors are being harassed by the police and other agencies, and even vilified on social media without proper investigation,” he said, urging journalists to verify facts before publishing reports on medical incidents. “Ask questions, verify with doctors before going public. We are human beings, not devils.”

The protest was triggered by the recent detention of a doctor and a nurse in Lekki following the death of two critically ill children suffering from severe gastroenteritis. Esegine explained that the children were brought in severely dehydrated and septic, and despite efforts, both died.

“Instead of due process, the doctor and nurse were detained for about a week. That is what jolted us into action,” he said.

The associations warned that continued harassment could worsen the ongoing brain drain in Nigeria’s health sector, as more doctors seek opportunities abroad.

“If this does not stop, doctors will leave, and those who remain may withdraw from high-risk cases. The implication for healthcare delivery will be severe,” Esegine cautioned.

The groups called on authorities to halt arbitrary arrests and allow professional regulatory bodies to handle complaints, warning that the protest marks only the beginning of further actions if their demands are not met.