By Monsurat Abisoye
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has raised concern over the ongoing three-day warning strike by resident doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), warning that failure to resolve the dispute could trigger a wider healthcare crisis in Lagos and across Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Lagos Chapter Chairman, Dr Sunday Ewonowo, and Secretary, Dr O.J. Hassan, the association said the strike by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LASUTH, stemmed from the Lagos State Government’s failure to address long-standing welfare and professional issues.
The NMA described the industrial action as regrettable and avoidable, noting that it only became necessary after repeated engagement efforts failed to yield meaningful results. It stated that LASUTH resident doctors are demanding the immediate commencement and completion of a modernised Residency Training Centre and doctors’ quarters.
They are also calling for the implementation of revised professional allowances for doctors in Lagos State, payment of specialist allowances to eligible Senior Registrar I doctors, and improved security for healthcare workers, patients, and facilities.
The association urged the Lagos State Government, LASUTH management, and other stakeholders to urgently engage the doctors’ leadership to prevent the escalation of the strike into an indefinite shutdown.
Beyond LASUTH, the NMA also expressed concern over a 21-day ultimatum issued by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at its May 2026 Ordinary General Meeting in Kano, which took effect on June 6, 2026. The ultimatum relates to unresolved national welfare issues affecting resident doctors.
These include the non-disbursement of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), outstanding salary, promotion, and advancement arrears, unresolved professional allowance disputes, and failure to provide call meals for doctors on duty at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
NARD has also directed LUTH management to immediately provide call meals for doctors on call duty, warning that failure to comply before the deadline could result in a total and indefinite strike.
The NMA noted that it was aware of a communiqué from the LUTH Association of Resident Doctors after its Emergency General Meeting on June 17, 2026, in which members reaffirmed readiness to comply with NARD’s directive if the issues remain unresolved.
It stressed that doctors’ welfare is directly linked to the quality of healthcare delivery, warning that poor motivation among health workers could undermine national health outcomes.
The association therefore called on the Lagos State Government, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, LASUTH and LUTH managements, and other relevant stakeholders to urgently resolve all outstanding welfare concerns to avert further disruption to healthcare services.
