The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called on the Oyo state government to urgently intervene in the industrial dispute at Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.
The association made the call in a statement signed by its President, Dr Mohammad Suleiman, Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Ibrahim, on Friday in Abuja.
According to the association, the intervention is to avert a breakdown of healthcare services.
NARD said it received the communiqué issued after the emergency general meeting of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LAUTECH teaching hospital, held on June 25.
It acknowledged efforts by the hospital’s board and management to address some of the issues raised by resident doctors but said the measures were inadequate to resolve the concerns that triggered the industrial action.
According to the association, the resident doctors resolved to continue their ongoing two-week warning strike, with plans to escalate the action to an indefinite strike if the outstanding demands remain unresolved after the warning strike.
NARD described the situation as unfortunate and avoidable, noting that the issues in dispute bordered on doctors’ welfare, remuneration, residency training and workplace conditions.
It said the concerns directly affected doctors’ motivation, the quality of residency training and healthcare delivery in Oyo state.
The association listed the outstanding demands to include immediate payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund, passage of the Medical Residency Training Act, implementation of the new Professional Allowance table for eligible doctors and rehabilitation of doctors’ call rooms.
Other demands include payment of 100 per cent of the 2025 accoutrement allowance arrears, minimum wage arrears and upgrade arrears for affected members.
NARD also called for the immediate advertisement for the recruitment of resident doctors and medical officers through a national newspaper to address the shortage of medical personnel at the hospital.
It expressed concern that doctors at the teaching hospital continued to provide essential services in spite of severe manpower shortages, increasing workload and difficult working conditions while many of their entitlements remained unpaid.
NARD, however, commended the leadership of ARD LAUTECH for suspending the strike for two days to provide medical care to abducted schoolchildren and their teachers upon their release.
“This selfless decision reflects the enduring commitment of resident doctors to the preservation of life and the discharge of their professional responsibilities, even in the face of unresolved welfare challenges.”
The association urged the Oyo state government to facilitate the resolution of all outstanding issues and direct the hospital’s Chief Medical Director to intensify good-faith engagement with the resident doctors.
NARD reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes but stressed that meaningful engagement must be backed by sincerity and implementation of agreed resolutions.
The association warned that continued neglect of the welfare concerns of resident doctors would heighten industrial tension and further compromise healthcare delivery in the state.
It added that should the dispute remain unresolved after the expiration of the warning strike, it would support ARD LAUTECH and consider all appropriate actions within its constitutional mandate to protect the welfare and professional rights of its members.(NAN).
