Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Association of Resident Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, has issued a firm ultimatum to the Oyo State Government and hospital management, threatening to resume its suspended industrial action on August 28, 2026, if outstanding welfare demands remain unresolved. The doctors, who had suspended a previous strike on June 27 in what they described as "good faith," said the eight-week window granted to authorities had yielded no meaningful progress on critical issues affecting their welfare and the quality of healthcare services at the institution.
In a statement signed by the ARD President, Dr. Adedapo Mustapha, and General Secretary, Dr. John Stephen, the association expressed frustration that several key demands remained unmet despite the suspension of the earlier industrial action. The doctors had suspended their strike on June 27 to maintain industrial harmony, support the progress of the institution and prevent disruption of healthcare services to residents of Oyo State. However, the ARD said the welfare situation at the hospital had become increasingly difficult, stressing that the demands were neither excessive nor unreasonable.
The outstanding demands include the full implementation and release of the Medical Residency Training Fund, implementation of the new Professional Allowance table, payment of minimum wage arrears, and urgent recruitment of resident doctors and other critical manpower. The doctors noted that several of the welfare packages they are demanding had been implemented in other healthcare institutions for years, making their exclusion from these benefits particularly galling.
The ARD also raised grave concerns over the severe shortage of medical personnel at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, warning that the situation had left available doctors overworked and overstretched. "The Hospital is experiencing gross manpower shortages, while the inability to attract and retain resident doctors is further worsened by the prevailing welfare conditions," the association said. The doctors warned that prolonged and frequent call duties had increasingly become the norm for the few doctors available, creating a situation that could have serious implications for patient care and safety. "This is not merely a matter of doctors' personal comfort. The welfare of healthcare workers is intrinsically linked to patient safety, quality of care and the sustainability of healthcare services," the statement read.
The dispute over the Medical Residency Training Fund has been a particularly sore point. The fund, established under the Medical Residency Training Act of 2017, is designed to ease the financial burden of postgraduate medical education. However, according to the association, Oyo State remains the only state in Southwestern Nigeria yet to disburse the fund to eligible resident doctors since the law was enacted. The doctors warned that the non-disbursement had resulted in financial strain, attrition of doctors to other facilities, and critical manpower shortages in departments such as Anaesthesia and Chemical Pathology, whose resident doctors have all departed due to poor remuneration.
The association also decried the non-payment of minimum wage arrears, saying the situation had negatively impacted morale among healthcare workers amid rising inflation and increasing living costs. "Like other workers, resident doctors are grappling with inflation, rising transportation costs, and increasing household expenses. The shortfall in wage implementation has further weakened purchasing power and diminished motivation," the letter stated.
The doctors, however, maintained that they had no desire to disrupt healthcare services or inconvenience residents of the state, saying their preference remained constructive engagement, dialogue and a mutually beneficial resolution. "Our preference remains constructive engagement, dialogue and a mutually beneficial resolution," the association said. But the ARD warned that its patience had limits, noting that it had already demonstrated restraint by suspending the earlier strike and allowing sufficient time to address the issues.
"We therefore wish to state clearly that if these outstanding demands remain unresolved, the Association shall resume its suspended industrial action effective 28 August 2026," the statement said. The ARD urged the hospital management and Oyo State Government to take decisive action before the deadline to avert another disruption of medical services at the teaching hospital.
The association appealed to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and relevant government authorities to urgently intervene and resolve the issues. "We particularly appeal to the governor to safeguard the future of LTH Ogbomoso and salvage the increasingly critical situation within the institution by ensuring the prompt resolution of these outstanding welfare concerns," the doctors said. The association reaffirmed its commitment to the progress of the hospital and the provision of quality healthcare, stressing that "a well-motivated, adequately staffed and properly supported workforce" was essential to achieving those objectives.
The threat of a fresh strike comes at a time when the healthcare sector in Oyo State is already grappling with significant challenges, including the migration of skilled medical professionals to other states and abroad in search of better remuneration and working conditions. The doctors warned that delays in addressing the issues could worsen the migration of skilled medical professionals and undermine the state's healthcare goals. "A well-supported healthcare workforce is indispensable to achieving your administration's healthcare goals. Delays in addressing these obligations risk fuelling dissatisfaction, accelerating brain drain, and weakening the state's ability to retain highly skilled medical professionals," the association had earlier warned in an open letter to the governor.
As the August 28 deadline approaches, the ball is now firmly in the court of the Oyo State Government and the hospital management. The doctors have made their position clear: they have waited long enough, and they are prepared to withdraw their services if their demands are not met. For the residents of Oyo State who depend on LAUTECH Teaching Hospital for their healthcare needs, the coming days will be critical in determining whether a potentially devastating strike can be averted.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments