LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Resident Doctors Protest Over Unpaid Arrears, Understaffing*
*OGBOMOSO* — Resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, staged a protest on Wednesday over poor working conditions, severe understaffing, and unpaid wage arrears.
The doctors, under the Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, ARD-LTH, said they could no longer work under “crippling conditions” that have affected their welfare and patient care.
In a statement signed by ARD President, Dr Mustapha Adedapo, and Public Relations Officer, Dr Abdulrahman Fofie, the doctors called on the Oyo State Government and hospital management to urgently intervene.
*“We took an oath to save lives”*
The association said years of neglect have left them demoralized and overworked.
“We took an oath to save lives, but today, we are forced to take a stand to save our own professions and dignity,” the statement read.
“For too long, we have operated under crippling conditions. We face severe understaffing, unpaid minimum wage arrears, unfulfilled allowance promises, and dilapidated call rooms. A burnt-out, neglected doctor cannot provide the quality care our patients deserve.”
The doctors stressed they were not demanding luxuries, but basic welfare and proper funding for medical residency training.
“We are not asking for luxuries; we are demanding basic human dignity, fair compensation, and the proper funding of medical residency training. Our patience has limits, but our unity is unbreakable,” they said.
*Key Demands*
The ARD listed their demands to include:
1. Payment of outstanding minimum wage arrears
2. Payment of promotion and accoutrement allowance arrears
3. Implementation of the new professional allowance for doctors
4. Release of the Medical Residency Training Fund, MRTF
5. Rehabilitation of doctors’ call rooms and on-call facilities
6. Urgent recruitment to address manpower shortage
“We call directly on His Excellency, the Governor, the Oyo State Government, hospital management, and all key stakeholders: hear our voices! Resolve these legitimate demands today. Fix the system so we can return to doing what we love—saving lives,” the doctors added. “The struggle has begun. The fight continues. United we stand, together we win.”
*NARD Raises Alarm Over Brain Drain*
The protest follows earlier warnings by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, over the shortage of resident doctors at LAUTECH.
NARD said several doctors have exited the institution without replacement, while those who completed residency training were also not replaced.
Specialties worst hit, according to NARD, include Anaesthesia, Chemical Pathology, and Haematology.
The development adds to growing concerns about brain drain and poor funding in Nigeria’s tertiary health institutions.
Patients at the hospital expressed worry that the industrial action could further strain healthcare delivery in Ogbomoso and surrounding communities.
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