In a significant escalation of the ongoing healthcare crisis, resident doctors at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) in Ile-Ife have declared their intention to join a nationwide industrial action. The decision comes as a direct response to the non-payment of salaries spanning between ten and fourteen months for a majority of its members.
Severe Financial Hardship Forces Strike Action
The OAUTHC chapter of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) made the announcement following an emergency general meeting. In a statement signed by the Association's President, Dr. Jesunbo Martins, and Secretary, Dr. Toyyeb Oladipo, the doctors outlined the dire financial situation crippling their ranks.
The statement revealed shocking details: out of 83 resident doctors at the complex, 40 members are owed between 10 and 14 months of salary arrears. A further 40 doctors have not received their salaries for March 2024. This widespread non-payment has plunged affected medical personnel into what the association describes as "severe financial, psychological, and professional hardship."
Key Demands and Strike Timeline
The withdrawal of services is scheduled to commence at midnight on Monday, January 12, 2026, in compliance with the directives from the national body of NARD. The doctors have presented a list of non-negotiable demands to the Federal Government and relevant authorities.
The primary demand is the immediate payment of all outstanding salaries and entitlements. Other critical issues include:
- The reinstatement of five resident doctors disengaged from the Federal Teaching Hospital in Lokoja.
- Full implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, including arrears, in the 2026 budget.
- Clarification on entry-level placement issues by health authorities.
- Reintroduction and full implementation of the Specialist Allowance.
- Resolution of persistent salary delays for house officers.
- Issuance of membership certificates after Part I examinations by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
- Timely conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement process.
Dialogue Conditional on Concrete Action
While expressing a readiness for dialogue, Dr. Martins and Dr. Oladipo were unequivocal about the terms. They insisted that any engagement with authorities must be accompanied by clear timelines and concrete actions capable of resolving all the outlined issues. The strike, they stated, will only be suspended upon the fulfillment of their demands.
The statement also indicated that members would participate in coordinated peaceful protests as directed by the national leadership. This move by the OAUTHC chapter aligns with a warning issued by NARD in December 2025, which threatened an indefinite national strike if the Federal Government failed to implement previously agreed-upon demands within a four-week ultimatum.
The impending strike at OAUTHC, a major tertiary health institution in South-West Nigeria, is expected to severely disrupt clinical services and further strain the nation's public healthcare system, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution to the perennial issues of welfare and remuneration for medical professionals.
