Sodiq Ojuroungbe
A resident doctor at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Oluwafemi Rotifa, has died after reportedly working a gruelling 72-hour non-stop shift in the hospital’s emergency unit.
The incident, which has sparked outrage across the medical community, occurred shortly after the doctor, fondly known as Femoski by colleagues, retreated to the call room to rest after three consecutive days on call.
He reportedly slumped and was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit, where efforts to resuscitate him failed.
It was reported by Vanguard that the late Rotifa was a former President of the Port Harcourt University Medical Students’ Association and had recently been registered with the UK General Medical Council, awaiting relocation for placement abroad.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Tope Osundara, described the death as “preventable” and blamed it on the overburdened health system and chronic manpower shortages.
“He was the only doctor on duty in the emergency room and had been on call for 72 hours. The overuse of manpower and exhaustion killed him. This was a death on duty,” Osundara said.
He accused the government at all levels of turning a blind eye to the persistent cries of healthcare professionals, warning that unless urgent reforms are implemented, more young doctors will continue to die in similar circumstances.
“We have warned repeatedly that the burnout among doctors is reaching dangerous levels. Many hospitals are operating with skeletal staff. The few doctors left are overworked, underpaid, and poorly motivated,” he added.
The NARD president further urged the Federal Government to immediately compensate the family of the deceased and enforce proper staffing policies that prevent doctors from working beyond humane limits.
The Nigerian Medical Association also reacted to the incident, describing it as “heartbreaking and unacceptable.”
The NMA Vice President, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, decried the workload on remaining doctors in the country and called for an immediate overhaul of the welfare system for health workers.
“It is extremely frustrating that doctors are dying in the prime of their lives due to excessive workload. We must prioritise comprehensive health insurance, salaries, allowances, and regulated working hours for all doctors,” Olowojebutu stated.
According to the World Health Organisation, the recommended doctor-to-patient ratio is 1 to 600.
However, data from the NMA shows Nigeria operates at a shocking ratio of 1 doctor to 10,000 patients.
Rotifa’s death has triggered a wave of tributes across social media platforms, with colleagues describing him as a diligent and passionate doctor whose life was tragically cut short by a system he loyally served.
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