Update: FUTA Teaching Hospital Slams Workers Over Strike Action

The Federal University of Technology, Akure Teaching Hospital, Ondo State, has expressed strong disapproval of the ongoing industrial action by the hospital's workers. The workers, who are members of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, had embarked on the strike to demand the withdrawal of the hospital's organogram and the creation of a separate Department of Medical Laboratory Services. They also protested against the appointment of two deputy chairmen of the Medical Advisory Committee for Clinical Services and Diagnostic Services of the teaching hospital. In a statement released by the Head of Public Relations Unit of the hospital, Mr Tope Fayehun, the hospital described the strike as 'illegal, unwarranted and wrong-headed'. The hospital management reassured patients, stakeholders, and the general public that the quality of healthcare delivery remains their top priority. Despite the strike, the hospital is working to minimize disruption to healthcare services. The management noted that all administrative decisions were guided by public service rules, government circulars, and the hospital's approved schemes of service, aimed at strengthening governance, enhancing efficiency, and improving patient care. Previous engagements between the management and union representatives had yielded 23 mutually agreed resolutions to promote harmony and improve healthcare outcomes. The hospital appealed to the union leadership to prioritize patient welfare and reconsider actions impeding critical clinical services.