The ongoing strike by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has left patients stranded, and in some cases, led to deaths.
About 60 resident doctors in the hospital began an indefinite strike on July 29.
The doctors said they were forced into action because the hospital management and the state government failed to address their long-standing demands.
Their main demand is the implementation of the minimum wage for LAUTECH hospital staff. Other healthcare workers in Oyo State already enjoy this benefit, but LAUTECH staff have been excluded.
This pay gap has caused many resignations, making it difficult to attract new staff. As a result, the few doctors left are overburdened.
Families caught in the crisis have suffered greatly.
One victim was 85-year-old Mr. Oladapo, who died on Monday in Ogbomoso.
His daughter, Ms. Adeola Oladapo, told reporters that her father suffered a spinal cord injury in July. He was taken to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, where doctors recommended an X-ray and MRI. Unfortunately, the hospital’s MRI machine broke down.
She said the family waited for a week until the machine was repaired, but by then, the doctors were already on strike, and no one was available to interpret the results.
“Eventually, we were told to leave. We turned to private consultants while a nurse cared for him at home, but his sores became worse and turned into necrosis. His condition deteriorated and, sadly, my father died on Monday. I am devastated,” she said.
She added that even when the family tried to move his body to the hospital mortuary, they were turned back because corpses were not being received during the strike.
“This is a government hospital, and poor people cannot afford private hospitals. Because of this strike, many families have lost loved ones. The government must act fast because lives are at stake,” she lamented.
Another patient, battling prostate cancer, also spoke of his struggles.
He said the strike had left him without proper care, and he could not afford private treatment.
“The pain is unbearable, and even buying my medications is a big struggle. Every day, I wonder if I will get the treatment I need to stay alive,” he said, sounding exhausted.
He added that the strike had taken a toll on his mental health too.
“It is not just the pain, it is the anxiety. You lie awake knowing you need help, but there is no doctor to turn to. This is no way for anyone to live,” he said.
He appealed to the government to intervene urgently, warning that many others are silently suffering.
Meanwhile, the ARD President at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Dr. Stephen Adedokun, explained that doctors had held several meetings with government officials before the strike but nothing meaningful came out of them.
He said issues such as the implementation of the new minimum wage, payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund, and provision of allowances remain unresolved.
In a fresh twist, nurses and midwives at the hospital have also started their own indefinite strike.
In a statement signed by their leaders, Ojewumi Olutayo and Adedokun Foluwake, the nurses said they had given management a 15-day ultimatum, but no action was taken.
Their demands include the immediate implementation of the new minimum wage, payment of promotion arrears from 2018 to 2024, recruitment of more nurses, and better working conditions.
They warned that the hospital, which serves as a major referral centre for Oyo, Osun, Kwara, and nearby states, now faces a serious crisis.
“The strike could affect thousands of patients, including pregnant women, children, accident victims, and emergencies,” the nurses warned.
They called on Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently step in, stressing that staff welfare and industrial peace are vital to sustain quality healthcare in the state.
The nurses and midwives vowed to continue the strike until their demands are fully met.
