The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has accused the Oyo State Government of failing to adequately address the grievances of resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, warning that the prolonged strike is taking a toll on healthcare delivery in the state.
The organisation said the industrial action, which has lasted for more than 30 days, was a reflection of what it described as the poor handling of the welfare and working conditions of medical personnel by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, SSACO also expressed concern over the 21-day warning strike issued by the Association of Medical and Dental Officers of Oyo State (AMDO) over unresolved issues relating to welfare, remuneration and conditions of service.
The campaign organisation said it was particularly troubling that medical workers had been forced to embark on industrial action over matters including unpaid allowances, residency training funds and salary arrears.
According to SSACO, the resident doctors are demanding payment of outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and six months’ Minimum Wage arrears, among other welfare-related entitlements.
The organisation said the prolonged strike had already affected medical services at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, leaving patients with the difficult choice of seeking treatment at private hospitals or enduring lengthy delays in accessing care at the teaching hospital.
“The SSACO is concerned about Governor Seyi Makinde’s failure to sit with the striking resident doctors and find a lasting solution to their demands,” the statement said.
It added that while the dispute continued, resident doctors felt maltreated and members of the public were bearing the consequences through reduced access to healthcare.
SSACO further argued that the situation could worsen if the warning strike by medical and dental officers across state hospitals eventually materialised.
“Healthcare delivery is a critical service which serious administrations treat with urgency and with the importance it deserves. With this prolonged strike, our resident doctors are feeling maltreated while the masses suffer,” the organisation said.
“The medical and dental officers across state hospitals have also served notice of a warning strike. This combination is a signal of government failure in the health sector. It is unacceptable in our dear state.”
The campaign organisation contrasted the situation with what it said would be Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s approach to healthcare if elected governor, saying healthcare would occupy a priority position in his Oyo AHEAD agenda.
According to SSACO, health workers and other civil servants under an Alli administration would receive their entitlements, alongside opportunities for training and retraining and improved working facilities.
“Healthcare occupies a priority position in Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s Oyo AHEAD agenda. Health workers and other civil servants will not be denied their entitlements. They will enjoy training and retraining, and they will have facilities to work with,” it said.
The organisation called on the Makinde administration to address the grievances of the striking doctors, warning that continued industrial action could have serious consequences for patients who depend on public hospitals for specialised and affordable medical care.
SSACO also challenged the state government to explain what it described as its continued neglect of medical workers and alleged nonchalant response to their complaints, arguing that the welfare of residents should remain central to government policy.
The statement was issued amid growing concerns over industrial disputes involving medical personnel in Oyo State and their potential impact on healthcare services across the state.
