Health crisis looms as doctors abandon duty posts at LASUTH, UCH Ibadan

. WHO raises alarm over avoidable harm in NCD care

Patients admitted for treatment at two of the nation’s strategic referral hospitals while others in critical conditions are being turned away following industrial action embarked upon by medial doctors in Lagos and Oyo states.

The situation has left many patients with critical conditions praying for their lives managements of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) battle emergency conditions amid acute manpower shortage as the strike continues.

Daily Champion reports that the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, commenced an indefinite strike over its demand for the reinstatement of the hospital’s Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Dr Adeyinka Ishola.

In a related development, patients and their relatives lament inability to access medical treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos following an industrial action by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD).

Our checks on Wednesday showed that both facilities have been rejecting patients refreed to them for specialized attention. While patients already in admission complain of inadequate care, new patients arriving under critical conditions were unable to secure admission into the specialized hospitals admission, following the industrial action by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LASUTH chapter.

Our checks on Wednesday showed that both facilities have been rejecting patients refreed to them for specialized attention. While patients already in admission complain of inadequate care, new patients arriving under critical conditions were unable to secure admission into the specialized hospitals.

At the UCH, the union is demanding the implementation of the recommendation of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, which, according to NUAHP, found Ishola not guilty of any fraudulent act in connection with the sale of a tricycle donated to the Pharmacy Department.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, the Chairman of NUAHP, Comrade Oladayo Olabampe, said the industrial action had become necessary after several efforts by the union to secure Ishola’s reinstatement failed.

Olabampe said the report submitted by the union’s representative, who served as an observer during the initial investigation, indicated that the investigative panel appeared to have reached a conclusion about Ishola’s fate before hearing his defence.

He said that after several sittings, the panel recommended that Ishola be suspended in the interest of the public, with its recommendation forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for ratification and approval.

According to the NUAHP chairman, the ministry subsequently sent a team of investigators to UCH to conduct an independent investigation.

“The ministry, in its wisdom, sent a team of investigators to UCH to conduct an independent investigation. The panel found Dr Ishola not guilty of any fraudulent act but only guilty of not carrying the management along in the sale of the tricycle.

“Rather than approving the dismissal recommended by UCH, the ministry, after a thorough investigation, recommended that the director be reprimanded and then reinstated.

“We are, however, surprised that the UCH management is not pleased with this outcome and has, for months, refused to implement the verdict of its supervisory ministry.

“We hold a contrary view to that of the management of UCH, which believes that the verdict of the ministry is not final.

“We hereby declare that Dr Adeyinka Ishola is not a thief, though he might have committed an administrative error by not carrying the management along. Since the ministry has decided that he be reprimanded, we stand by this decision.

“Having dialogued with the management on several occasions to no avail, we have hereby resolved to declare a trade dispute over this matter.

“After two series of ultimatums, we have decided to mobilise our members for an indefinite strike with effect from Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The strike shall continue until our demands are met,” Olabampe said.

Ishola was removed from office more than a year ago following an allegation that he sold the tricycle without the knowledge of the UCH management.

The Director was said to have told the investigative panel set up by the hospital management that the tricycle was a personal gift to him from a pharmaceutical company seeking to secure favourable patronage.

He reportedly challenged the panel to seek clarification from the donor company regarding the circumstances surrounding the gift.

Ishola was quoted as saying that he voluntarily decided to hand over the tricycle to the department but later discovered that it would be difficult to maintain because spare parts might not be readily available, as it was a fabricated model rather than the conventional type commonly used for commercial purposes.

He further explained that the N1.3 million proceeds from the sale of the tricycle were spent on various needs of the department, including replacing trolley tyres and laptop batteries and providing office chairs for some offices.

According to him, the funds were fully accounted for, with all relevant documents presented to the investigative panel.

At LASUTH, Lagos, patients were unable to access medical treatment after resident doctors declared an indefinite strike over unpaid specialist allowances, salary and advancement arrears.

The resident doctors also demand 25 months’ arrears of the revised professional allowance.

The industrial action followed what the doctors described as the failure of the Lagos State Government to resolve outstanding welfare issues.

Whereas some patients have moved to private healthcare facilities, others were left writhing in pain and calling on the authorities to resolve the strike.

A parent to a patient, Mrs. Patience Ameh, who spoke to Daily Champion, said she brought her 10-year-old son to LASUTH for treatment of ulcer, a condition which, she said, had caused him to lose considerable weight. She lamented that her son was still unable to get required attention due to the strike.

“Some of the staff members around refused to attend to me and my son, saying there was no work. They told me to bring my son back to the hospital next week,” she said.

Similarly, a patient’s relative, Mr. Bakare Yusuf, said he brought his daughter to the hospital for medical treatment, adding that the patient was denied admission.

“I am tired of all the strikes in the country, especially those involving health workers. Before the year runs out, if one set of workers suspends its strike, another set will start theirs,” he cried.

A reliable source in the hospital who pleaded anonymity said, “Consultant doctors are working, but they only see emergency cases and refer them. There is no admission of new patients.”

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabanwo, said the issue was not between the doctors and the hospital management.

“It is between them and the government,” he said, adding that the hospital management was helping the resident doctors resolve the issues with the government.

Asked how the hospital was coping with the situation and managing patients, Fabanwo said, “Consultant doctors are working. Medical officers, nurses and other workers are not on strike. It is only the resident doctors who are on strike.”

In the communique, signed by its President, Dr Alaba Gabriel Akerele, and General Secretary, Dr Hamzat Omotoyosi Bakre, the doctors said while they appreciated the state government for paying the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund, MRTF, and implementing the revised professional allowance table, several critical issues remained unresolved.

A major point of contention is the non-payment of specialist allowance to Grade Level 14 resident doctors, particularly Senior Registrars 1.

The association said the government had previously agreed to align the payment with the Federal Government’s implementation for doctors in federal institutions.

The doctors said: “The Congress observed with great worry the persistent delay and failure of Lagos State Government to fulfil its promise and agreement to pay Specialist Allowance to Grade Level 14 resident doctors (Senior Registrars 1) in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.”

The association also accused the government of failing to pay salary and advancement arrears owed some of its members since last year, despite acknowledging the outstanding payments.

According to the doctors, the government had attributed the delay to “procedural and systemic” issues.

The association further alleged “irregularities and discrepancies” in the payment of the revised provisional allowance to its members.

It faulted the delay in fully implementing the revised Professional Allowance Table, which it said became effective from July 1, 2024.

Consequently, the congress demanded the immediate implementation of the specialist allowance for Grade Level 14 resident doctors, payment of outstanding salary and advancement arrears, and settlement of 25 months’ arrears of the revised Professional Allowance Table.

The doctors also demanded a detailed breakdown of all salary components currently being used by the Lagos State Government to pay their salaries.

The association warned that the strike would continue indefinitely until the outstanding demands were addressed.

The doctors acknowledged interventions and support from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; First Lady, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Head of Service, Bode Agoro; Accountant-General, Muyiwa John Adetola; Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Afolabi Ayantola.

They also appreciated the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Health and Establishments and Training; Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo; hospital officials; the Medical Guild; Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors; and past leaders of LASUTH-ARD.

However, the association maintained that despite the interventions, the unresolved welfare issues had left its members with no option but to withdraw their services.

They said the industrial action was intended to compel the state government to address the outstanding issues and fulfil its commitments to resident doctors.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on African governments and health systems to strengthen patient safety in the management of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), warning that people living with chronic conditions can be exposed to avoidable harm throughout their long-term health journey.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, stated his in a message marking World Patient Safety Day 2026, observed under the theme, “Safe care for noncommunicable diseases,” with the slogan, “Safe care for life!”

He said people living with conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory diseases often require years of consultations, tests, medicines, referrals and treatment, making patient safety an essential part of every interaction with the health system.

According to him, NCDs caused at least 43 million deaths globally in 2021, while they accounted for 37 per cent of all deaths in the WHO African Region in 2019, compared with 24 per cent in 2000.

He noted that nearly two-thirds of NCD deaths in the African Region are premature, compared with 41.7 per cent globally, adding that the diseases are also a major cause of long-term disability and loss of function.

Janabi said avoidable harm could occur through delayed or missed diagnoses, medication errors, adverse drug interactions, weak follow-up and poor communication when patients move between health facilities and services.

He added that risks could arise at different stages of care, including diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care and self-management, and could be worsened by stigma, discrimination and barriers to essential medicines and technologies.

The WHO regional chief stressed that expanding access to NCD services must go together with improving their quality and safety.

“Strong primary health care can provide continuity, identify problems earlier and coordinate care across different levels of the health system,” he said.

Janabi further called for health workers to receive practical guidance, reliable supplies and supportive working environments where errors can be reported and used as opportunities for improvement rather than occasions for blame.

He said countries across the African Region were expanding integrated NCD services through initiatives including WHO PEN at primary healthcare level and PEN-Plus at first-level referral facilities.

According to him, the approaches bring diagnosis, treatment and long-term care closer to communities while promoting safer care through evidence-based treatment protocols, clear referral pathways and regular monitoring.

Janabi also emphasised the importance of involving patients and families in efforts to improve safety, saying people living with NCDs understand where health services break down and where risks emerge in their daily lives.

“Listening to their experience, communicating clearly and involving them in decisions can prevent harm and improve treatment outcomes,” he said.

He urged Member States to embed patient safety in NCD policies and programmes, strengthen systems for reporting and learning from harm, and invest in health worker training, supportive supervision and the safe use of medicines and technologies.

He also called on health professionals to adhere to evidence-based protocols and maintain open communication with patients and colleagues, while urging patients and families to ask questions, speak up and report concerns whenever aspects of their care are unclear.