LAUTECH resident doctors’ strike enters 32nd day over unpaid allowances

Resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have entered the 32nd day of their industrial action over outstanding welfare demands.

The Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, said the strike followed the expiration of an eight-week ultimatum issued to the Oyo State Government to address the doctors’ concerns.

The association, in a statement signed by its President, Dr Mustapha Adedapo A., and Secretary, Dr John Stephen, on Tuesday, listed the implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, payment of outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund and settlement of six months’ Minimum Wage arrears among its demands.

The doctors said the ongoing action was a resumption of an earlier suspended warning strike.

“The ongoing industrial action represents 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 in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso,” the association said.

The association acknowledged some steps taken towards resolving the issues, including efforts to establish the legal framework for the Medical Residency Training Act and part payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund.

However, it said the Professional Allowance Table remained unresolved, noting that welfare conditions could affect the retention of medical personnel.

According to the doctors, Oyo State is currently the only state in the South-West yet to implement the allowance table.

The association warned that continued loss of skilled medical personnel could undermine specialised healthcare delivery and residency training at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital.

The hospital provides specialised services in areas including orthopaedics, urology, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and serves as a referral centre for patients within and outside Oyo State.

“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 doctors said.

The association called for the full implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, payment of the outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund and settlement of the six-month Minimum Wage arrears.

It also appealed to the state government to introduce welfare packages capable of retaining existing resident doctors and attracting specialist manpower.

The doctors said they remained open to dialogue with the government and other stakeholders to resolve the dispute.

The development followed an earlier five-day warning strike by the resident doctors, which was suspended after appeals from the hospital management and its board. The doctors later issued an eight-week ultimatum before resuming the industrial action.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has expressed solidarity with the LAUTECH doctors and warned that failure to resolve the issues could trigger regional and national industrial action.

NARD also listed the payment of Medical Residency Training Funds, implementation of the corrected Professional Allowances Table, Minimum Wage arrears and other outstanding payments among the issues requiring attention.