Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have protested over unpaid wage arrears, severe understaffing and poor working conditions at the medical facility.
The doctors, under the Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, staged the protest on Wednesday, calling for immediate intervention from the Oyo State Government and hospital management.
The protest came amid concerns over a shortage of resident doctors at the teaching hospital, with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors raising the alarm that several doctors had left without replacement.
NARD also said doctors who completed their residency training had not been replaced, creating staffing gaps in key medical specialties, including Anaesthesia, Chemical Pathology and Haematology.
In a statement signed by the ARD President, Dr Mustapha Adedapo, and its Public Relations Officer, Dr Abdulrahman Fofie, the doctors said the situation had negatively affected their professional welfare and dignity.
“We took an oath to save lives, but today, we are forced to take a stand to save our own professions and dignity. 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 said their demands were centred on basic welfare, proper remuneration and improved conditions 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.”
NARD had also demanded payment of outstanding minimum wage, promotion and accoutrement allowance arrears, implementation of the new professional allowance for doctors and release of the Medical Residency Training Fund.
The doctors further want the rehabilitation of call rooms and on-call facilities used by resident doctors at the teaching hospital.
Appealing to the Oyo State Government, hospital management and other stakeholders, the ARD urged them to resolve the outstanding issues and improve the working environment.
“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 struggle has begun. The fight continues. United we stand, together we win,” the statement added.
