Ondo Doctors To Shut Down Hospitals In Warning Strike

By Tope Fayehun, Akure

Medical doctors in Ondo State said hospitals across the state will be shut down from next Monday over a three-day warning strike to press home their demands.

The doctors, under the aegis of the National Association of Government General and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), said the warning strike was to make their demands from the state government.

NAGGMDP, in a statement by its Chairman, Dr. Richard Obe, and Secretary, Dr. Adekunle Owolabi, lamented that repeated letters and a 14-day ultimatum issued to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa were ignored.

Citing gross neglect of the health sector and the welfare of medical professionals by the state government, the doctors said the ultimatum, which expired on July 1, 2025, received no official response from the state government.

They highlighted one of the core issues in their letter to the governor as the crippling shortage of medical personnel, with some general hospitals operating with just one doctor for an entire local government area.

This, the doctors said, was unsustainable, puts lives at risk, and overburdens the few available professionals.

The statement also condemned a sudden increase in taxation from April 2025 without prior consultation and described as “unacceptable” the non-payment of salaries and allowances to eight newly recruited doctors employed since October 2024.

According to the association, these doctors have only received partial payment in February 2025 without any allowances.

In addition, the doctors are also demanding unpaid hazard allowances from October to December 2023 and January 2024, as well as outstanding promotion arrears from June to December 2024.

“NAGGMDP is demanding immediate recruitment of more doctors across Ondo State; full payment of salary arrears and statutory allowances; a reversal of the new tax regime; payment of outstanding salaries and allowances for newly employed officers; payment of owed hazard allowances; and settlement of promotion arrears for eligible members,” the association said.

While assuring the public of their commitment to healthcare delivery, the doctors warned that failure to address these demands during the warning strike would result to an indefinite industrial action, with widespread consequences for the state’s fragile health system.