Tears as Doctor Slumps, Dies After Allegedly Working 72 hours in LUTH
- Tragedy struck the medical profession in Lagos as Dr Umoh Michael slumped and died in church
- Michael was said to have worked for 72 hours at a stretch in the Neurosurgery Unit at Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH)
- Following the tragic incident, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) has called for a review of their working condition
Idi-Araba, Lagos state - A house officer, Dr Umoh Michael, slumped and died in church after allegedly working for 72 hours in the Neurosurgery Unit of the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Medical doctors under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH chapter, disclosed this in a letter written to the Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, Guardian reported.
How doctor slumped, died after working 72 hours
Michael allegedly died on September 17 after he returned home from work at about 3:00 a.m.
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He arrived home Sunday morning for church service and slumped in his worship centre, United Evangelical Church, at about 11:00 a.m.
According to the letter, the deceased doctor’s roommate said Dr Michael hardly slept in their apartment for the past week because he was always on call.
“We have long-standing challenges since we resumed house-manship here and one most striking challenge is the bullying we receive from our senior colleagues, stressful call hours without breaks in between, no call food and no good accommodation.”
ARD demands health checks for House Officers
The doctors said House Officers should be allowed either half-day or resume work by midday after working the previous day.
They added that doctors should not be made to work for 48 hours at a stretch.
They also demanded that compulsory health checks at the beginning of House jobs be free or subsidised for House Officers.
LUTH denies doctors work 72 hours
However, LUTH’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Omolola Fakeye, dismissed the claim that doctors work for 72 hours at a stretch.
"I will check the medical report of what could have happened because anybody can say anything, but the medical report will show us what actually happened.”
Colleague recounts last moments of Doctor Vwaere Diaso
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the final moments of Vwaere Diaso, a medical doctor who died in an elevator accident at Lagos Island General Hospital, Odan, have emerged.
Vwaere’s colleague with the Twitter username @LaseMoye narrated how the tragic incident happened right before her on Tuesday, August 1.
Source: Legit.ng