A resident doctor at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Oluwafemi Rotifa, has died after reportedly working an exhausting 72-hour non-stop shift in the hospital’s emergency unit.
The incident occurred shortly after Dr. Rotifa, affectionately known as Femoski by colleagues, retired to the call room to rest.
He reportedly slumped and was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit, where attempts to resuscitate him failed.
Dr. Rotifa, a former President of the Port Harcourt University Medical Students’ Association, had recently been registered with the UK General Medical Council and was awaiting relocation for placement abroad.
The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Tope Osundara, condemned the death as “preventable,” blaming the overburdened health system and chronic manpower shortages.
He said: “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.”
Dr. Osundara warned that unless urgent reforms are implemented, more young doctors will continue to die under similar conditions.
He also urged the Federal Government to compensate the family of the deceased and enforce proper staffing policies to prevent doctors from working beyond humane limits.
The Nigerian Medical Association described the incident as “heartbreaking and unacceptable.” Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, NMA Vice President, called for an immediate overhaul of doctors’ welfare, including regulated working hours, fair salaries, and health insurance.
According to the World Health Organisation, the recommended doctor-to-patient ratio is 1 to 600. In Nigeria, however, the ratio stands at 1 doctor to 10,000 patients, highlighting the extreme pressure on healthcare professionals.
