Health
NMA urges Makinde to honour LAUTECH doctors’ agreements
Janet Ogundepo
The Nigerian Medical Association has called on the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to urgently intervene in the lingering welfare challenges confronting doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, warning that failure to resolve the issues could lead to further disruption of healthcare services in the state.
The NMA President, Prof Afekhide Omoti, made the call in a statement issued on Saturday, saying several commitments made by the Oyo State Government to the Association of Resident Doctors, LAUTECH Ogbomoso, Oyo State, remained unfulfilled despite months of advocacy, engagement and dialogue.
Omoti said the unresolved issues are undermining the welfare and morale of young doctors working as frontline healthcare providers in the state.
The association said the outstanding demands included immediate payment of state minimum wage arrears implemented from January 2025, payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund to all eligible resident doctors, implementation of the Corrected Professional Allowances Table and Call/Work-Hour Regulatory Policy, as well as payment of upgrade arrears to affected doctors.
“These are not mere administrative requests. They are legitimate welfare and workplace concerns that directly affect the wellbeing of doctors and, ultimately, the quality and safety of healthcare delivery,” the association said.
The NMA warned that excessive workload, poor remuneration and an overstretched workforce could contribute to burnout and fatigue, with implications for clinical performance, patient safety and health outcomes.
“A healthcare system cannot thrive when those entrusted with saving lives are themselves pushed beyond sustainable limits,” it stated.
The association said the leadership and members of ARD LAUTECH Ogbomoso had demonstrated restraint and professionalism by allowing about three months for dialogue and engagement in an effort to resolve the dispute and ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.
However, the NMA said formal advocacy could not continue indefinitely without corresponding action from the government.
The association therefore urged Makinde to personally intervene and ensure the immediate implementation of the outstanding agreements and demands.
“Such decisive intervention is necessary to avert further escalation and prevent a potentially avoidable disruption of medical services in Oyo State and beyond,” it said.
The NMA said honouring the agreements would help improve the morale, motivation and productivity of doctors and contribute to quality healthcare delivery in the state.
It also commended the Oyo State NMA branch for its restraint and professionalism and urged the state leadership to sustain advocacy and engagement until all outstanding demands were resolved.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue and collaboration with the Oyo State Government and other stakeholders to achieve lasting solutions that would protect doctors’ welfare while ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
“The health of the people of Oyo State must remain paramount. The welfare of the doctors entrusted with protecting that health must therefore not be treated as an afterthought,” the NMA President stated.
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