LAUTECH Teaching Hospital strike continues as doctors and nurses protest unpaid wages and poor conditions, leaving patients in crisis in Oyo State

Around 60 resident doctors began an indefinite strike on July 29, citing the state government and hospital management’s failure to address long-standing demands, including the implementation of minimum wage for hospital staff.

Also read: Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors suspends strike

The strike has intensified pressure on remaining personnel and worsened patient care.

For families, the consequences have been devastating. One such case involved 85-year-old Mr. Oladapo, who died after being unable to access urgent treatment for a spinal cord injury.

His daughter, Adeola Oladapo, recounted how delays caused by the strike and a malfunctioning MRI machine led to severe complications and, ultimately, her father’s death. She condemned the lack of emergency care, saying:

“This is a government hospital, and people cannot afford private care. Because of this strike, many families like mine have lost loved ones.”

Other patients are also suffering. A prostate cancer patient, speaking anonymously, said the strike left him without adequate medical attention, increasing both his physical discomfort and anxiety.

“It is not just the pain; it is the anxiety. You lie awake at night, knowing you need help, but there is no doctor to turn to,” he said, urging government intervention.

Dr. Stephen Adedokun, President of the Association of Resident Doctors at LAUTECH, explained that repeated meetings with the state government yielded no tangible results.

Key unresolved issues include minimum wage implementation, disbursement of the Medical Residency Training Fund, and provision of allowances.

Compounding the crisis, nurses and midwives at LAUTECH have also commenced an indefinite strike over unpaid minimum wages and long-standing welfare concerns.

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), LAUTECH unit, began its strike on Friday following the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum to management.

The nurses’ union demands include immediate implementation of the new National Minimum Wage, payment of promotion arrears from 2018 to 2024, recruitment of additional staff, and improved working conditions.

They warned that the ongoing strikes could severely disrupt care for thousands of patients, including pregnant women, children, accident victims, and emergency cases.

The union called on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene urgently, stressing that fairness and equity in staff welfare are critical to sustaining quality healthcare.