Resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have raised concerns over worsening manpower shortages at the institution, warning that the situation could affect specialist training, healthcare delivery and patient care.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), in solidarity with the Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH, called on the Oyo State Government to urgently address the manpower, welfare and working-condition challenges facing doctors at the hospital.
In a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Friday, NARD said several resident doctors had left the institution in recent months without replacement, while doctors who had completed their residency programmes had also not been replaced.
The association said the shortage was particularly worrisome in critical specialties such as Anaesthesia, Chemical Pathology and Haematology, which it said currently had no resident doctors.
According to NARD, the situation was already having implications for specialist training, service delivery and the quality of care available to patients.
The association also raised concerns over outstanding financial and welfare entitlements owed to its members.
Among the demands listed by NARD are the payment of outstanding minimum wage arrears, promotion and accoutrement allowance arrears, implementation of the approved new professional allowance for doctors and the release of the Medical Residency Training Fund.
The doctors also called for the renovation and improvement of call rooms and other on-call facilities, as well as the immediate implementation and enforcement of appropriate work-hour regulations to prevent excessive duty schedules and burnout.
NARD recalled that the Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH, suspended its earlier industrial action on June 27, 2026, following an eight-week grace period given to the authorities to address the issues raised by the doctors.
The national association commended the leadership and members of ARD LAUTECH for their patience and restraint, noting that they had continued to provide essential healthcare services to residents of Ogbomoso, Oyo, Iseyin and neighbouring communities despite the challenges.
However, NARD warned that the doctors’ patience should not be interpreted as acceptance of prolonged neglect.
“Patience must not be mistaken for acceptance of prolonged neglect,” the association said.
It described the outstanding demands as legitimate welfare and workplace concerns, stressing that resolving them was important not only for the welfare of doctors but also for the sustainability and quality of healthcare delivery at the teaching hospital.
“These demands are legitimate welfare and workplace concerns, and their timely resolution is essential not only for the well-being of doctors but also for the sustainability and quality of healthcare delivery,” NARD said.
The association urged the Oyo State Government to urgently engage with the resident doctors and resolve the outstanding issues before the expiration of the ultimatum on August 28, 2026.
NARD warned that failure to address the manpower and welfare challenges could further weaken specialist training and compromise healthcare delivery at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital.