Akure Group Praises Tinubu, Health Minister for Resolving Teaching Hospital Crisis

The Akure Businessmen and Professionals Roundtable (ABPR) has publicly commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, for their role in resolving the labor crisis at the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTATH) in Akure.

The resolution follows the suspension of an industrial action by organized labor unions in Ondo State, which had severely disrupted the operations of FUTATH. The strike caused considerable hardship for patients, students, and the wider community, creating apprehension throughout Ondo State.

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ABPR welcomes the recent intervention by Prof Pate to restore normalcy of operation in FUTATH, in fulfillment of the Renewed Hope agenda.

ABPR specifically acknowledged Prof. Pate's interventions, which led to the suspension of the strike. The group expressed its commitment to the "Renewed Hope" agenda of the federal government in the health sector. They also highlighted President Tinubu's fulfillment of a promise regarding the teaching hospital project to a prominent Akure elder, Dr. Reuben Fasoranti.

The roundtable dismissed claims from some quarters that the Akure General Hospital project could be withdrawn from the federal government as "empty threats." They welcomed Prof. Pate's efforts to restore normalcy at FUTATH, aligning with the "Renewed Hope" agenda. The statement noted that the crisis, initiated by Ondo State organized labor unions, had unfortunately stalled progress on the Tinubu-backed project at the newly established teaching hospital.

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The unfortunate and unwarranted crisis created by the Ondo State Organised Labour Unions truncated this laudable Tinubu project at the newly established teaching hospital.

While expressing solidarity with health workers seeking absorption into FUTATH, ABPR noted that the Federal Ministry of Health has begun seeking approval to expand the hospital's staffing capacity to include personnel from the former UNIMED Teaching Hospital. The group urged the Ondo State government to enhance its health services by expanding the Akure Mother and Child Hospital and building new facilities to replace the handed-over Akure General Hospital.

ABPR expressed "deep disappointment" with the Ondo State Government and certain influential individuals in the state for their perceived lukewarm response to the labor crisis. They believe this inaction allowed the strike to fester, leading to the prolonged closure of the public hospital and negative consequences for patients. The shutdown undoubtedly had severe human and economic impacts, particularly for low-income families reliant on the hospital for essential emergency, maternal, and child health services.

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Without a doubt, this unfortunate shutdown of the hospital must have had grave human and colossal economic consequences.