The Association of Resident Doctors at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), located in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has raised a grave alarm concerning the hospital’s imminent collapse. In a strongly worded open letter addressed to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on July 4, 2025, the doctors outlined a series of critical challenges threatening the institution’s survival, including a massive exodus of medical staff, inadequate remuneration, and insufficient government support.
Okay.ng reports that the letter, obtained by our correspondent on Friday, reveals a drastic reduction in the hospital’s resident doctor workforce—from nearly 270 at its peak to fewer than 65 currently. This sharp decline is attributed to doctors seeking better-paying opportunities both within Nigeria and abroad.
The letter, titled “Open letter to His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde: An urgent appeal to prevent the collapse of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso,” was signed by the Association’s President, Dr. Stephen Adedokun, and General Secretary, Dr. Adedapo Mustapha. It paints a disturbing picture of a once-thriving multispecialty tertiary institution that serves as a referral center for all 33 local government areas of Oyo State and neighboring states.
“We respectfully write to draw your attention to the imminent collapse of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, a critical pillar of healthcare delivery and medical education in Oyo State. As the only multispecialty tertiary institution owned by the state, the hospital serves as a referral centre for all 33 local government areas as well as neighbouring states,” the letter states.
The hospital is not only vital for patient care but also for training undergraduate and postgraduate students across various medical and allied health disciplines. However, the letter laments that the institution is “on the verge of dysfunction owing to an alarming dwindling workforce,” citing poor remuneration, insufficient subvention, and lack of incentives as root causes.
“Currently, our personnel earn salaries approximately 30 per cent lower than colleagues employed directly by the state government, despite performing equally demanding roles,” the doctors emphasized.
The letter further details how resignations have become a weekly occurrence, severely depleting staff numbers in critical clinical departments. “The exodus of staff, most notably resident doctors, has reached critical levels. From a peak of nearly 270 at the hospital’s inception, we now have fewer than 65. Many have left for better-paying opportunities overseas or within Nigeria, including nearby institutions. Each work brings fresh resignation letters, compounding the strain on an already overstretched workforce,” it reads.
Some departments are reportedly operating without junior registrars, forcing senior registrars preparing for fellowship exams to cover first-call duties repeatedly. In some cases, the number of consultants now exceeds resident doctors, with only one junior registrar available. Laboratory Medicine departments operate with just one resident each, leading to daily on-call duties for those few.
The doctors warn that this unsustainable situation has resulted in “severe staff burnout, compromised patient care, and a deteriorating training environment.” They caution that without urgent intervention, residency training at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital faces collapse.
A significant aggravating factor is the government’s failure to implement the new minimum wage package approved in January 2025 for LAUTECH staff, despite its application to other state-employed health workers. The letter also highlights unpaid Medical Residency Training Funds and delays in domestication of the enabling Act since November 2021.
“We appeal to Your Excellency and all well-meaning Nigerians to intervene decisively. The people of Oyo State, whose health and well-being depend on the services we provide, deserve a functional and empowered tertiary health facility. May LAUTECH Teaching Hospital thrive. May Oyo State prosper. May Nigeria flourish,” the letter concludes.
