The Association of Resident Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, has appealed to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently release the Medical Residency Training Fund and clear outstanding minimum wage arrears owed to resident doctors and other health workers in the state.

The appeal was contained in an open letter issued on Monday and signed by the association’s President, Dr Mustapha Adedapo, and General Secretary, Dr John Stephen.

The doctors said the delay in releasing the training fund and settling wage-related arrears had placed significant financial pressure on resident doctors, weakened staff morale and contributed to the exit of medical personnel from the hospital.

They warned that the situation could further deepen the shortage of specialists and resident doctors in key departments, including Anaesthesia and Chemical Pathology, where they said all resident doctors had left due to inadequate remuneration.

The association noted that the Medical Residency Training Fund was created under the Medical Residency Training Act of 2017 to support doctors undergoing postgraduate medical training.

It expressed concern that Oyo State had yet to make the fund available to qualified resident doctors, despite the implementation of the scheme in other states in the South-West.

According to the association, the continued exclusion of eligible doctors at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital from the fund has increased the financial burden of residency training and encouraged doctors to seek better opportunities in other health institutions.

The doctors said releasing the fund promptly would go beyond improving staff welfare, adding that it would help strengthen the state’s healthcare system by supporting the training and retention of medical professionals.

The association also called for the payment of unpaid minimum wage arrears, saying resident doctors and other healthcare workers were struggling with the effects of inflation, rising transport fares and increasing household expenses.

It said the incomplete implementation of the minimum wage had reduced workers’ purchasing power and affected their motivation at a time when healthcare workers were expected to deliver efficient services.

While commending the Makinde administration for its investments in healthcare infrastructure, access to medical services and citizens’ welfare, the doctors urged the governor to give urgent attention to their demands.

The association said resolving the outstanding issues would help curb the migration of skilled health professionals, improve workplace conditions and support the government’s broader healthcare objectives.

It also called for sustained dialogue between the state government and healthcare workers to ensure a more stable and productive working environment.

The resident doctors reaffirmed their commitment to delivering quality medical services to residents of Oyo State and expressed hope that the governor would act swiftly on the concerns raised.

The association also offered prayers for the safe return of schoolchildren recently abducted in the state.