Doctors threaten nationwide strike over issues at OAUTHC

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has warned it may start a nationwide solidarity strike if the ongoing issues at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) are not sorted out.

In a statement on Thursday, the group showed support for the resident doctors who began an indefinite strike last week.

NARD said the strike by the Association of Resident Doctors, OAUTHC (ARD OAUTHC) started on 22 June after months of unresolved welfare and workplace issues that the management allegedly ignored.

The association called the situation avoidable and blamed it on the hospital management’s lack of response to repeated complaints despite earlier interventions by NARD.

NARD revealed that it wrote to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on 16 March, highlighting the worsening relationship between the OAUTHC management and the resident doctors.

The group asked for a stakeholders’ meeting with the ministry, hospital management, ARD OAUTHC, and NARD to discuss issues like salary arrears, accommodation problems, restrictions affecting the association’s secretariat, and other administrative matters.

Despite following up with another intervention in June, the problems were not treated with the urgency needed.

NARD accused the management of taking a "combative" and "dismissive" stance that increased mistrust and led to the indefinite strike.

The doctors’ concerns include several welfare and workplace issues. These include the lack of comprehensive meal coverage for on-call doctors, shifting identity card costs to staff, unresolved accommodation issues, and non-payment of some allowances.

Other worries are the introduction of bench fees on resident doctors from accredited private teaching hospitals doing clinical rotations at OAUTHC, and what NARD described as a pattern of intimidation and victimization of resident doctors.

The association claimed that the management's response during the strike warning did not reflect the discussions held with the doctors, which led ARD OAUTHC members to reject it and continue with the strike.

NARD stated that the dispute was talked about during its May Ordinary General Meeting in Kano, where delegates expressed concerns over resident doctors’ welfare and gave the National Officers’ Committee 21 days to engage relevant parties.

The association said it is unacceptable for the issue to escalate into an indefinite strike despite the warning.

They warned that the situation now threatens patient care, emergency services, residency training, and the overall stability of the teaching hospital.

NARD called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to quickly set up a high-level meeting with all parties to resolve the issue.

They also urged the ministry to instruct the hospital management to tackle outstanding welfare problems, stop any intimidation or victimization of resident doctors, protect members taking part in lawful union activities, and create a monitored plan for implementing any agreements made.

The association warned that if the issue is not sorted within a reasonable time, it will have no choice but to declare a nationwide solidarity strike in support of the OAUTHC resident doctors.

This latest dispute comes while NARD is already in a larger industrial conflict with the federal government over unresolved welfare, pay, and training issues affecting resident doctors across Nigeria.

Earlier this month, the association declared a nationwide industrial dispute and gave the federal government a 21-day ultimatum to address demands like releasing the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), paying outstanding salary and promotion arrears, correcting allowance discrepancies, improving welfare for house officers, and stronger measures to protect doctors from attacks in hospitals.

The ultimatum is nearing its deadline, following resolutions from NARD’s Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Kano, where delegates also raised concerns about unresolved welfare issues at various hospitals, including OAUTHC.

At the meeting, NARD specifically highlighted the alleged intimidation of resident doctors at the Ile-Ife-based teaching hospital and gave its National Officers’ Committee 21 days to engage relevant parties before thinking about further action.