The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has kicked off move to intervene in the industrial dispute at the Futa Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State, as disruptions continue to hamper healthcare delivery at the newly transitioned federal facility.

The engagement comes amid growing concerns over recurrent industrial actions at the hospital, which recently completed its transition from a state-owned to a federal teaching hospital.

According to findings, during the meeting, the team will address the persistent service disruptions and other operational challenges, following a detailed report submitted by the hospital’s management to the Health Ministry on the recurring labour unrest that has plagued the facility in recent months.

In a statement issued, the intervention followed the completion of the federal government’s transition programme for the former UNIMED Teaching Hospital, which officially became the Futa Teaching Hospital after a handover process that concluded with the biometric capture of all eligible staff.

The transition process culminated in the full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ondo State Government and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on October 23, 2025, which is a milestone in the hospital’s integration into the federal healthcare system.

The staff absorption exercise was conducted in accordance with Article 5 (5.1.3) of the MoU, after which eligible officers of the former state hospital were absorbed into the Federal Civil Service, a provision that has since become a focal point of contention among aggrieved workers.

A staff verification exercise was conducted between December 8 and 12, 2025, by an interministerial committee comprising officials from the Federal Ministries of Health and Finance, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Meanwhile, the ineligible officers have been recommended to the Ondo State Government for redeployment into the State Civil Service, a decision that has contributed significantly to the ongoing labour tensions at the facility.

To finalise the transition process, a biometric capture for payroll enrolment under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System was conducted in Akure between June 8 and 13, 2026, with a mop-up exercise held in Abuja from July 9 to 13, 2026, for officers who missed the earlier exercise.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has expressed appreciation to the Ondo State Government and its people for their cooperation throughout the transition process, describing the successful takeover as a product of mutual understanding and collaboration between both tiers of government.