LAUTECH Doctors’ Strike Hits 32 Days

Resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have entered the 32nd day of their industrial action over unresolved welfare-related issues, with the Association of Resident Doctors warning that the continued loss of skilled manpower poses a significant threat to the sustainability of residency training and the hospital's ability to deliver specialised healthcare services.

In a statement jointly signed by the association's President, Dr Mustapha Adedapo A., and Secretary, Dr John Stephen, on Tuesday, the doctors said the ongoing industrial action represented the resumption of an earlier suspended warning strike, following the expiration of an eight-week ultimatum issued to address the longstanding welfare crisis confronting resident doctors at the hospital. The development followed an earlier five-day warning strike, which was suspended after appeals from the hospital management and its board. The doctors subsequently issued the eight-week ultimatum, and when it expired without satisfactory resolution, they resumed the strike.

The association listed its demands as the implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, full payment of the outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund, and settlement of six months of Minimum Wage arrears. The doctors acknowledged steps taken towards addressing some of their concerns, including efforts to establish the legal framework for the Medical Residency Training Act and the part payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund. "We recognise these steps as important developments and remain hopeful that the outstanding components will be addressed expeditiously," the association said.

However, the doctors stressed that the Professional Allowance Table remained one of the critical issues requiring attention, adding that welfare conditions could influence the retention and movement of medical personnel. "Oyo State, despite its long-standing reputation as the Pace Setter State, remains the only state in the South-West yet to implement the Professional Allowance Table," the doctors stated. The association noted that LAUTECH Teaching Hospital provides specialised services in orthopaedics, urology, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, while serving as a referral centre for patients within and outside the state. It said maintaining adequate skilled manpower was important to the hospital's provision of specialised healthcare and residency training. "The continued loss of skilled manpower poses a significant threat to the sustainability of residency training and the ability of the hospital to provide the specialised healthcare services for which it was established," the association said.

The doctors called on the Oyo State Government to take decisive steps to salvage what they described as a fortress of hope for thousands of citizens from further deterioration and loss of skilled manpower by implementing welfare packages that are competitive with what is obtainable in neighbouring states. "Ultimately, these measures will strengthen the capacity of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital to provide quality tertiary healthcare to the people of Oyo State and beyond," the association added.

The doctors also urged the state government to use its reputation as the Pace Setter State to promote higher standards in healthcare and medical training. "As the Pace Setter State, we believe in the ability of the Oyo State Government to do more than merely implement what is obtainable elsewhere, but to lead, as Oyo State has historically done, by setting standards that others can follow," the association said. The resident doctors expressed optimism about resolving the industrial action through engagement with the government and other stakeholders, saying they remained committed to dialogue and constructive engagement towards resolving the crisis. "We remain optimistic that His Excellency, the Governor of Oyo State, with the goodwill and confidence that his administration enjoys, can bring about the necessary intervention to restore the strength, stability and agility of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso," the association said.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has expressed solidarity with the LAUTECH doctors and warned that failure to resolve the issues could lead to regional and national industrial action. NARD listed among the demands the payment of Medical Residency Training Funds, implementation of the corrected Professional Allowances Table, Minimum Wage arrears and other outstanding payments. The association's warning signals that the dispute at LAUTECH could escalate beyond Oyo State if the government fails to act swiftly.

The strike at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital is the latest in a series of industrial actions by health workers across Nigeria over poor remuneration, inadequate infrastructure and unfavourable working conditions. The Nigerian healthcare system has been crippled by repeated strikes in recent years, with patients bearing the brunt of the disruptions. The brain drain of medical professionals has compounded the crisis, with thousands of doctors emigrating in search of better opportunities abroad. As the strike enters its fifth week, patients in Ogbomoso and surrounding communities who depend on LAUTECH Teaching Hospital for specialised care are left in limbo, with many forced to seek alternative treatment in other facilities or postpone essential medical procedures. The coming days will determine whether the Oyo State Government will heed the doctors' call and take the decisive action needed to end the strike, or whether the standoff will drag on, further weakening an already fragile healthcare system.