LAUTECH Medics Struggle with Workload as ARD Strike Continues

Ongoing Strike at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Creates Challenges for Medical Staff and Students

The ongoing strike by the Association of Resident Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has led to significant disruptions. Medical and dental lecturers, who also serve as consultants at the hospital, are facing increased pressure due to the absence of resident doctors. This situation has created a heavy workload for the consultants, who are now handling more patient care responsibilities than usual.

In addition to the challenges in patient care, the strike has also affected academic activities. Lecturers have withdrawn from classroom teaching at the LAUTECH Medical School because the university management has not implemented the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure. This decision has left medical students in a state of uncertainty and raised concerns about the upcoming examinations.

The industrial action was initiated on July 29, following repeated attempts to address the issues with the hospital management. Despite multiple communications, appeals, and a 14-day ultimatum, the management has failed to resolve the long-standing salary and welfare concerns. The lecturers highlighted that they have not received their unpaid arrears since January 2025 and that the exclusion of CONMESS from July salaries further demonstrates the management's lack of commitment to resolving these issues.

Dr. Oluwatosin Ilori, Chairman of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), LAUTECH Teaching Hospital branch, shared her perspective on the impact of the strike. She explained that the absence of resident doctors has significantly increased the workload for consultants. "Resident doctors are supposed to assist consultants, but they are not working. While we are fighting for different causes, the strike is on. Consultants in the hospital are still working, but we have withdrawn our services from the university because of CONMESS," she said.

She also noted that while the number of patients coming to the hospital has decreased due to the strike, those who do come are being attended to by stretched thin consultants. The MDCAN chairman emphasized that LAUTECH is the only medical school in the country yet to implement the salary structure.

The strike was initially launched in February with the MDCAN South-West region, but it was suspended after the university promised to address the demands. However, no concrete actions have been taken since then. Dr. Ilori stated that the lecturers will continue the strike until their demands are met.

The impact of the strike extends beyond the hospital and into the academic sphere. With lecturers refusing to take classes, the scheduled examinations for medical students are likely to be postponed. There are three sets of 400-level students and one set of 500-level students, with class sizes ranging from about 65 to over 120 students.

Dr. Ilori stressed that the lecturers are determined to continue the strike until their demands are fulfilled. The situation highlights the broader challenges faced by medical professionals in the country, where issues such as delayed salaries and inadequate welfare packages remain persistent problems.

The ongoing strike underscores the need for urgent action from the university management to address the concerns of medical staff. Without resolution, the impact on both patient care and academic activities is expected to continue, affecting the quality of education and healthcare services provided at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital.