NARD backs LAUTECH doctors, warns of nationwide strike

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to escalate its industrial action to the regional and national levels if the Oyo State Government fails to resolve outstanding welfare and remuneration issues affecting resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

NARD issued the warning on Friday while declaring its support for members of the Association of Resident Doctors at the LAUTECH teaching hospital, who have been on strike for seven days.

The national body said the dispute had persisted since last year despite several attempts by the resident doctors to secure the implementation of their demands.

In a solidarity statement signed by NARD President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleiman, the association said the doctors had initially given the Oyo State Government a two-week notice to address the issues.

The notice was followed by a five-day warning strike, which was later suspended after appeals from the hospital management and its board.

According to NARD, the doctors subsequently issued another eight-week ultimatum, but the deadline expired eight days before Friday without the outstanding matters being resolved.

The association said the unresolved issues include payment of Medical Residency Training Funds, arrears arising from the state’s minimum wage implementation from January 2025, adoption of the corrected Professional Allowances Table, implementation of the policy regulating excess workload and working hours, as well as payment of upgrade arrears owed affected doctors.

Suleiman said the first four demands fell within the responsibility of the Oyo State Government, while the hospital management was responsible for settling the upgrade arrears.

He described the prolonged failure to address the issues as a failure of leadership that could negatively affect healthcare delivery in the state.

NARD said resident doctors at the facility were working under difficult conditions, citing inadequate manpower, unpaid salary and allowance arrears and poor accommodation facilities, including dilapidated call rooms.

The association said the conditions were placing additional pressure on doctors and could undermine the quality of healthcare available to residents of Oyo State.

NARD appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene personally and ensure that the outstanding agreements were implemented.

The doctors’ body warned that continued failure to resolve the dispute could result in industrial action beyond the hospital, potentially extending across the region and the country.

It, however, stressed that such an escalation could be avoided if the government acted on the issues already agreed upon with the doctors.

The latest warning follows a protest by LAUTECH resident doctors on Wednesday over alleged manpower shortages, unpaid minimum wage arrears, outstanding professional allowances and deteriorating working conditions.

NARD maintained that its solidarity with the striking doctors was aimed at securing improved welfare for resident doctors and protecting the quality of healthcare services in Oyo State.