Resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, led by Association of Resident Doctors President, Dr Mustapha Adedapo, and Public Relations Officer, Dr Abdulrahman Fofie, staged a protest on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, demanding payment of outstanding wage arrears, improved staffing and urgent action to address difficult working conditions at the hospital.
The protest reflects a dispute that has been building for months, with the doctors saying unresolved welfare concerns are placing increasing pressure on an already stretched workforce.
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In a statement made available on Thursday, the Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, said resident doctors had been working under conditions that had affected their welfare, professional dignity and ability to provide the level of care expected of them.
The doctors cited severe understaffing, unpaid minimum wage arrears, unfulfilled allowance commitments and deteriorating call rooms among their major concerns.
“We took an oath to save lives, but today, we are forced to take a stand to save our own professions and dignity,” the association said.
The doctors stressed that their demands were not about seeking special treatment but about securing basic working conditions and the resources required to sustain 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,” the association stated.
The latest protest follows earlier warnings from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors that the manpower situation at the hospital had become increasingly troubling.
NARD said several resident doctors had left LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in recent months without replacement, while doctors who completed their residency programmes had also not been replaced.
The shortage has reportedly affected important specialties, including Anaesthesia, Chemical Pathology and Haematology.
NARD had warned that the situation could have consequences not only for the doctors remaining at the hospital but also for specialist training, healthcare delivery and patient safety.
The dispute has also involved outstanding financial obligations.
The doctors have previously demanded the payment of minimum wage arrears, promotion and accoutrement allowance arrears, implementation of the new professional allowance and release of the Medical Residency Training Fund.
They have also called for the renovation of doctors’ call rooms and on-call facilities, alongside the enforcement of appropriate work-hour regulations to reduce excessive duty schedules and burnout.
The current dispute is not the first time resident doctors at the institution have taken industrial action over welfare concerns.
In June 2026, the doctors suspended an earlier industrial action after granting authorities an eight-week period to address their grievances.
When several issues remained unresolved, the association warned in August that it would resume its action.
The doctors subsequently began an indefinite strike on August 28, according to reports at the time, while continuing to call for dialogue with the Oyo State Government and hospital management.
The association has maintained that its concerns extend beyond doctors’ personal welfare.
According to the doctors, inadequate staffing and prolonged working hours can place additional pressure on medical personnel and ultimately affect the quality and safety of care available to patients.
Earlier reporting on conditions at the hospital has similarly documented concerns over the loss of resident doctors, heavy workloads and difficulties attracting and retaining medical personnel.
A 2024 investigation reported that the hospital had significantly fewer resident doctors and house officers than it previously had, with doctors describing demanding call schedules and difficulties associated with low remuneration.
The concerns have also drawn attention from outside the hospital’s immediate management structure.
In August, NARD urged the Oyo State Government to engage the resident doctors and resolve their outstanding concerns, warning that continued neglect could further weaken specialist training and healthcare delivery at the institution.
“Patience must not be mistaken for acceptance of prolonged neglect,” NARD said.
For the resident doctors, the immediate issue is whether the latest protest will prompt concrete action from the state government and hospital management.
The doctors have appealed to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and other stakeholders to address their grievances and restore a working environment in which medical personnel can carry out their responsibilities without excessive strain.
“We call directly on His Excellency, the Governor, the Oyo State Government, hospital management, and all key stakeholders: hear our voices,” the association said.
The doctors said they wanted the authorities to “fix the system” so they could return their full attention to what they described as their central responsibility, saving lives.
For patients who depend on LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso and surrounding communities, the dispute carries consequences beyond the employment conditions of resident doctors.
The hospital is an important provider of specialist healthcare and a training centre for medical professionals.
Continued shortages of doctors and unresolved welfare concerns therefore risk placing additional pressure on services at a facility already serving a wide population.
The latest protest puts the focus once again on the need for a sustainable resolution.
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For the doctors, the message is clear: better pay, adequate staffing, proper training support and safer working conditions are central to keeping both the medical workforce and patient care on a stable footing.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
