Doctors under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, LUTH chapter, have called out the hospital management over the death of one of their colleagues, Umoh Michael.
Michael died on Sunday, September 17, during a church service at the United Evangelical Church, after working for 72 hours non-stop at the hospital.
The doctors, following the demise of Michael, blamed the LUTH management for being responsible for his death. They alleged that the young man died from overworking himself from the long, continuous hours of duty.
The doctors, in a letter addressed to the Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, narrated that Michael’s roommate said the deceased returned home at about 3:00 a.m. Sunday, after a 72-hour shift in the hospital, and that he had barely slept in their apartment before that day.
The statement partly read, “We, the house officers are in deep grief over the loss of our colleague, a co-house officer (Dr Umoh Michael) who died on 17th September, 2023, after having a 72hrs call in the Neurosurgery Unit.
“He is said to have been on call 72hrs before arriving home on Sunday morning to get set for church service, reaching his worship center (United Evangelical Church) where he slumped in the church at about 11 am.”
“His roommate attested to the fact that Umoh Michael had barely slept in their apartment over the past one week as he was always on call or the day he returned home was around 3 a.m. after surgeries and other activities in the Neurosurgery Unit.”
However, reactions have poured in from X users concerning the matter, as many have lashed out at either the late doctor or the health system.
Below are some comments.
JoelUdanyi wrote, “This is sad. Result of a health institution being understaffed…if not what else?”
“In a sane environment, it is a crime to work more than 11:30. You are entitled to 1-hour break as well,” Kasalimi2029 wrote.
An X user, drfynrekins, “I salute my Hippocratic colleague & wish him farewell on his journey to the great beyond. I hope #nmanigeria would come out strongly and protect these young doctors. These deaths are devastating and unacceptable, and it would further deplete the numbers of those practicing in Nigeria and discourage those still in medical school. Unfortunately, the young doctors are the ones bearing the brunt of the decay in the healthcare system in Nigeria but this trend must be stopped.”
Another X user, Doingood, “We all need to be resting. Employers should please help us. May his Soul RIP .”
OgechukwuChime “He is taking care of others and forgot to take care of himself.”
Kuwait_magic “He lost his own life in the process of saving other people’s lives. God knows I can’t be this good. I no fit die to make you live.”
Mazi_Ibem “Lagos State Government should get more doctors from the already saturated labour market to assist. The daily pressure these doctors go through affects their health as well.”
