Friday, September 11, 2026 - Workers at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, UNIOSUNTH, have threatened to shut down the facility from Monday over a proposed Public-Private Partnership arrangement covering several medical and support services.
The threat followed a protest staged by members of the Joint
Action Committee of unions at the teaching hospital in Osogbo on Thursday.
The unions said they were opposed to the proposed
privatisation of services in departments including the laboratory, Intensive
Care Unit, radiology, kitchen, morgue and security.
They warned that failure by the hospital management to
address their concerns would trigger an indefinite strike after the expiration
of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the authorities.
According to the unions, the ultimatum will expire at 11:59
p.m. on Sunday, leaving Monday as the proposed commencement date
for the industrial action.
Speaking during the protest, Olumide Faniran, an elder of
the unions and a member of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and
Midwives, NANNM, said the workers were resisting an attempt to introduce the
PPP without adequate consultation.
“Actually, the agitation is over a Public-Private
Partnership, PPP, which the leadership of the Teaching Hospital is embarking
on.
“When you are undertaking something of that nature, you
carry stakeholders along. The reverse is the case here,” he said.
Faniran said the unions had met with management several days
earlier and reached an understanding that the existing arrangement would remain
pending further discussions.
He, however, alleged that management proceeded to interview
prospective employees for a private laboratory despite the understanding
reached at the meeting.
“We had a meeting with them a few days ago, where we agreed
that the status quo should remain. But to our surprise, they conducted
interviews yesterday for the intending workers they want to engage for the
private laboratory,” he said.
The union representative questioned the need for a private
laboratory when, according to him, the existing laboratory was generating more
than 100 per cent revenue.
“Yes, they want to set up a private laboratory when we
already have our own laboratory that is generating over 100 per cent revenue,”
Faniran said.
He also accused the hospital management of blaming workers
for shortages of laboratory consumables and reagents, arguing that the existing
facility could perform better if adequately supplied.
The unions’ position hardened after a proposed meeting with
the hospital’s governing board failed to take place as expected
on Thursday.
Faniran said the workers had assembled for the meeting
scheduled for 10 a.m. but were later informed around 2:30 p.m. that the board
would not meet them and that they should submit their position in writing.
“This morning, we were told that we would have a meeting
with the board by 10 a.m. We converged since 10 a.m., only to be told around
2:30 p.m. that they were not interested in seeing us,” he said.
He said the development prompted the unions to convene a
congress, where members resolved to stage the peaceful protest.
Faniran said the unions wanted management to abandon the PPP
proposal and instead strengthen the existing hospital services through the
provision of necessary equipment, reagents and consumables.
“Our demand now is that we do not want Public-Private
Partnership. Let us maximise the opportunity that is on ground. Provide
reagents and consumables to us, and we are ready to work,” he said.
He warned that radiology, ICU, morgue, kitchen and security
services were also affected by the proposed arrangement and reiterated that the
unions would commence an indefinite strike if their demands were not met before
the ultimatum expired.
“That is why we are now resisting. Radiology, ICU, Morgue,
Kitchen and Security are all affected.
“If they fail to adhere to our demands, we have no option
than to embark on strike on Monday because the 14-day ultimatum given
earlier will expire by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday,” he said.
However, the Chairman of the Governing Board of UNIOSUNTH,
Niyi Owolade, said the dispute would be resolved through discussions with the
unions.
Owolade said the PPP arrangement was not an unusual model in
Nigeria’s healthcare sector and disclosed that discussions on its
implementation were still ongoing.
“We are meeting with the unions next week. The issue will be
resolved next week,” he said.
He explained that the board reached its decision following
approval from the Osun State Government, adding that discussions surrounding
the partnership had not been concluded.
“The board came into the conclusion after an approval by the
governor that we should have a Public Private Partnership and we have started
the discussion but not yet completed the discussion,” Owolade said.
According to him, “PPP arrangements have already been
introduced in some major hospitals, including facilities in Ife and Ibadan.
“This is not the first place where PPP will be implemented.
They have started in Ife, Ibadan. Most teaching hospitals in Nigeria have PPP.
There is no much ado about it,” he said.
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