YOUNG DOCTOR DIES AFTER 72-HOUR SHIFT AT RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL. (PHOTO).

 Young Doctor Dies After 72-Hour Shift at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital

A tragic incident has struck the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), where Dr. Femi Rotiifah, a young resident doctor, slumped and died after working a grueling 72-hour non-stop shift in the Emergency Room.

According to reports, Dr. Rotiifah had been on continuous call duty for three days before retreating to the call room to rest, where he collapsed. Despite efforts by his colleagues to resuscitate him, he was confirmed dead. The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Tope Osundara, confirmed the incident, stating, “He was on call in the Emergency Room. Afterward, he went to the call room to rest, and it was there that he died. Unfortunately, he was the only one attending to the patient. The overuse of manpower strained his health and led to this painful death. It was a death on duty.”

Dr. Rotiifah, a former President of the Port Harcourt University Medical Students’ Association (PUMSA), was registered with the UK’s General Medical Council and was awaiting placement abroad. His sudden death has sent shockwaves through the medical community, with friends and colleagues taking to social media to express their grief and mourn the loss of the dedicated doctor.

The incident has raised concerns about the intense workloads faced by resident doctors in Nigeria, highlighting the need for better working conditions and support for healthcare professionals.