A doctor, Dr. Umoh Michael, on Sunday died after allegedly working for 72 hours without rest.
Reports reveal that Michael, who was a resident doctor, died during a church service at the United Evangelical Church on Sunday, September 17, after working a 72-hour non-stop shift at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba.
A letter addressed to the Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, from doctors of the Association of Resident Doctors, LUTH chapter, confirmed that the doctor was overworked.
Part of the statement 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 centre (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.”
Netizens have taken to X to express their thoughts about the incident.
A user of X, Maxvayshia wrote: “A medical doctor in LUTH died after working for 72 HOURS STRAIGHT, yet I was in a Ministry just yesterday and a top govt official was asking “Why do Doctors even want salary increment when they have been collecting big money. What is the matter with them?” Nigeria’s problem is deeply multifactorial.”
Another user, drfynrekins wrote: “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 practising 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.”
Praying, temiladeniyi wrote: “May the gentle soul of Dr. Umoh Michael (HO, LUTH) rest in peace. 🕊 I pray his family finds succour in this difficult period. Medical bodies, Employers, Administrators, Supervisors and senior colleagues need to be punished for overworking people.”
OgechukwuChime said: “He is taking care of others and forgot to take care of himself.”
Kuwait_magic also wrote: “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.”
Also reacting is the Public Relations Officer of LUTH, Omolola Fakeye saying, “It is not true that anybody worked for 72 hours. I have not been briefed about his death.
“We were at a programme yesterday (Monday), but I will find out; I can’t say anything now. I will check the medical report of what could have happened because anybody can say anything, but the medical report will show us what happened.”
