Honour Agreement with ARD LAUTECH Ogbomoso, Avert Preventable Healthcare Crisis in Oyo — NMA Tells Makinde

By Rosemary Okoduwa

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), led by its National President, Dr. (Prof.) Afekhide Ernest Omoti, has urged the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to urgently resolve the lingering welfare issues affecting doctors at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, warning that failure to do so could trigger a preventable healthcare crisis and disrupt medical services in the state.

In a statement issued at the weekend, Prof. Omoti expressed concern over the Oyo State Government’s failure to implement mutually agreed resolutions reached with the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LAUTECH Ogbomoso, and called on the Governor to personally intervene to ensure that the outstanding commitments are implemented without further delay.

The NMA President said the unresolved issues include the immediate payment of State Minimum Wage arrears effective from January 2025, payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to all eligible resident doctors, implementation of the Corrected Professional Allowances Table, implementation of the Call/Work-Hour Regulatory Policy, and prompt payment of upgrade arrears to affected members.

He stressed that the demands should not be regarded as mere administrative requests, noting that they are legitimate welfare and workplace concerns with direct implications for the wellbeing of doctors and the quality and safety of healthcare delivery. According to him, excessive workload, burnout, poor remuneration, work fatigue and an overstretched workforce can negatively affect clinical performance, patient safety and health outcomes.

Prof. Omoti warned that a healthcare system cannot function effectively when medical personnel responsible for saving lives are pushed beyond sustainable limits, adding that prompt implementation of the outstanding commitments would help resolve the current industrial dispute while boosting the morale, motivation and productivity of resident doctors who have dedicated themselves to serving humanity.

The NMA President noted that extensive advocacy and engagements had been undertaken since early this year to resolve the dispute, while the leadership and members of ARD LAUTECH Ogbomoso had demonstrated remarkable professionalism, patience and respect for due process by exercising restraint for approximately three months. He, however, stressed that formal advocacy without corresponding government action could not continue indefinitely.

He maintained that the legitimacy of the doctors’ demands could not be overemphasised, stressing that agreements freely entered into must be honoured and legitimate commitments made to healthcare professionals implemented in a timely and transparent manner. He therefore called for decisive government action to prevent further escalation and an avoidable disruption of medical services in Oyo State and beyond.

Prof. Omoti also expressed the NMA’s solidarity with the Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH Ogbomoso, and commended the Oyo State NMA Branch for the restraint and professionalism it had demonstrated throughout the period. He urged the state leadership to sustain its advocacy and constructive engagement with the government until all outstanding demands were comprehensively resolved.
The NMA President reaffirmed the association’s commitment to constructive dialogue, responsible advocacy and strategic partnership with the Oyo State Government and other stakeholders, stressing that the health of the people of Oyo State must remain paramount, while the welfare of the doctors entrusted with protecting that health must not be treated as an afterthought.