Doctors at DELSUTH threaten strike over deteriorating facilities and staff exodus

By Chioma Obinna

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) chapter, has issued a warning about the rapid deterioration of the hospital’s facilities and services. In a joint statement signed by Chairman Dr. Efe Abolodje and Secretary Dr. Ify Anita Nwajei, the association accused hospital authorities of neglecting infrastructure, equipment, staffing and governance, and cautioned that the institution could soon face a full‑blown health crisis if immediate action is not taken.

DELSUTH was commissioned in 2010 by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as a world‑class quaternary health centre. According to the doctors, the facility has since slipped to a level that can only sustain primary and secondary care. Essential medical equipment in all departments is either broken or obsolete, while worsening infrastructure and inadequate funding have crippled clinical operations and specialist services.

“MDCAN is deeply concerned that DELSUTH has declined from a world‑class quaternary hospital to a centre struggling to deliver effective tertiary healthcare,” the statement read. It added that electricity bills exceeding N50 million per month have forced management to ration power, even in administrative units. Recurring sewage overflows and poor sanitation now pose serious public‑health risks within the hospital. Basic clinical tools such as sphygmomanometers, stethoscopes, thermometers, weighing scales and diagnostic equipment are either inadequate or non‑functional. X‑ray services have collapsed because of a non‑operational UPS system, forcing patients to seek diagnostics elsewhere. The theatre complex is operating below acceptable standards, with poor lighting, inadequate instruments, malfunctioning equipment and a shortage of surgical materials.

The association also warned that the deteriorating conditions are undermining medical training and specialist care in Delta State. “DELSUTH remains the premier training institution for resident doctors and medical students in Delta State, but infrastructure deficits and equipment failures are seriously threatening effective training and patient care,” it added.

MDCAN further accused the state government of allowing a leadership vacuum to persist after delays in appointing a substantive Chief Medical Director (CMD). An election for a CMD was held over three months ago and the results were forwarded to the ministry, yet no official appointment has been announced. The doctors linked this uncertainty to growing tensions within the hospital community, including recent protests by host‑community members over appointment allocations. “The urgent need to address the issue of a substantive CMD cannot be overemphasised,” the statement stressed.

Staffing shortages are also a major concern. The revised professional allowances approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in February 2026 have prompted senior medical personnel to move to federal institutions such as the National Orthopaedic Hospital Benin and the Federal Medical Centre Ovwian. MDCAN said the hospital is currently short on doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and resident physicians. Despite several engagements with management and government officials, little progress has been made in resolving the crisis.

In response, the doctors demand immediate government intervention, including the appointment of a substantive CMD and governing board, rehabilitation of critical infrastructure, replacement of faulty equipment and implementation of revised professional allowances to stem the exodus of consultants. They also call for urgent investment in surgical, diagnostic and therapeutic equipment to restore uninterrupted tertiary healthcare services at DELSUTH. MDCAN warned that failure to address these issues could trigger industrial action. “The association has issued an ultimatum for authorities to address these issues immediately, warning of a strike if resolutions are not forthcoming,” the statement added.

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