Nurses and midwives at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have issued a 15-day ultimatum to the hospital management, warning of a potential strike over alleged neglect of their welfare and conditions of service.
The healthcare workers, under the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, claim they have been repeatedly excluded from new benefits approved for health workers in the state.
The workers’ demands include immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage effective January 2025, payment of promotion arrears from 2018 to 2024, recruitment of additional nurses to ease staff shortages, and renovation of nurses’ stations and rooms. They also cited delayed payment of COVID-19 allowances and enhanced hazard allowances as examples of sustained neglect, which has led to economic hardship and low morale.
According to the association, the persistent exclusion of LAUTECH workers from state-wide welfare packages could only be corrected if the government takes over direct payment of salaries. The ultimatum was contained in a statement signed by the unit chairman, Ojewumi Olutayo, and the unit secretary, Adedokun Foluwake. If the demands are not met within the 15-day timeframe, the nurses and midwives will embark on a strike, which would severely disrupt access to healthcare in the region.
The hospital serves as the only state-owned tertiary health institution and referral center for patients from Ogbomoso and neighboring towns. A strike would have a significant impact on pregnant women, children, accident victims, and patients requiring emergency interventions. The association has therefore called on Governor Seyi Makinde to personally intervene and address the cycle of exclusion that has demoralized nurses and midwives in the institution.
This dispute highlights the systemic challenges in Nigeria’s healthcare system, including underfunding, staffing shortages, and welfare neglect of frontline workers. As the state’s only tertiary referral center, a strike could disrupt healthcare access for patients across Oyo and neighboring states.
